EXUBERANCE and other poems
[75 Poems]
by Dr. Mahendra Bhatnagar
Dr. Mahendra Bhatnagar
Dr. Mahendra Bhatnagar’s is one of the significant post-independence voices in Hindi and Indian English Poetry, expressing the lyricism and pathos, aspirations and yearnings of the modern Indian intellect. Rooted deep into the Indian soil, his poems reflect not only the moods of a poet but of a complex age.
Born : 26 June 1926: Jhansi (U.P.), Edu. : M.A. (1948), Ph.D. (1957) from Nagpur University; Retd. Professor.
Several volumes of poetry in English are published, viz. In French ‘A MODERN INDIAN POET : Dr. Mahendra Bhatnagar : UN POÈTE INDIEN ET MODERNE; In English Forty Poems of Mahendra Bhatnagar After The Forty Poems Exuberance and other poems Dr.Mahendra Bhatnagar’s Poetry Death Perception : Life Perception Passion and Compassion Poems : For A Better World A Handful of Light Lyric-Lute. etc. Poems are translated in most of the Indian languages.
Published research & critical studies : (1) Living Through Challenges : A Study of Dr. Mahendra Bhatnagar’s Poetry (2) Poet Dr. Mahendra Bhatnagar : His Mind And Art.
Adviser — ‘POETCRIT’. At present — Reasearch Guide in many Indian Universities.
Contact : 110 BalwantNagar, Gandhi Road, Gwalior — 474 002 (M.P.) INDIA /
Phone : 0751-4092908 / M-09893409793
E-Mail : drmahendrabh@rediffmail.com
‘Exuberance and other poems’
– Dr. R. S. Sharma
The seventy-five poems of Mahendra Bhatnagar represent a wide range in terms of theme, mood and tone. They give us a glimpse of Mahendra Bhatnagar’s high stature as a Hindi poet, who can induce in the reader serious thinking as well as aesthetic delight.
The collection opens with ‘Exuberance’ (Umang) presenting a highly charged sensuous description of the transitional hour of the day. In the midst of mixed light and shade and insistent draughts of wind, we glimpse the body of the beloved :
Impassioned
And knowingly getting trembling-wet
Is the beloved’s body!
Dr. Mahendra Bhatnagar is most successful in vivifying directly experienced scene of Nature and prismatic states of weather; he often makes the objects of Nature to carry symbolic meaning and convey dedicate and transitory states of the mind. ‘Birthday’ finds a fitting conclusion in the lamp, which has kept burning in the midst of storms. Loss of hope is analogous to ‘ the twittering branch of the evening that suddenly went deaf and mute.’ ‘Waiting’ is a series of Nature processes that suggest agony of waitinag. ‘Yearning’ makes us feel what it is to dwell in the lap of Nature - silk-smooth grass, greenish thorns, butterflies wearing pied printed saris, the tamarind and guava trees.
The poet in the form of a blessing receives love and it lifts him to a new level of being with a sense of miraculous release. The emotion approaches the poet’s heart by means of quiet gestures: ‘since / we knew each other - / Involuntarily / Sweet songs began to flow / from my mute lips. (‘Meeting’). As soon as the beloved touches the forehead of the lover, all his problems dissolve and a stronger feeling of joy fills his heart: ‘In my heart / Suddenly burst forth / Thousands of / Morning fresh flowers’ (Touch’) In the course of his life, Mahendra Bhatnagar has witnessed the national shame of subjugation and an intense desire to attain freedom. He has felt the joy of being independent, he has also shared the triumphs and sorrows of free India. All these experiences are preserved by him in memorable verse steeped throughout this collection - and indeed, on a larger scale, in the vast corpus of his writing.
Born in the land of Laxmibai, when he rouses the warriors to advance and crush the enemy, he reminds us of Subhadrakumari Chauhan and when he takes up a national theme, he has something of Maithilisharan Gupta. In addition, when he writes of the have-nots, he exploited and the labouring workers, he shows genuine empathy, and the verse assumes revolutionary overtones.
Dr. Mahendra Bhatnagar knows what it is to feel failure and disappointment, but his abiding strength is in courage and will to survive and overcome. The poet is aware of his broken dreams when the sweetness of a loving heart changed into poison. (‘Unwanted’) He tells us how difficult it is to create a fresh world of equality (‘Futile’). He is aware of the pain of separation from dear ones who left this world, and doesn’t know whom to call (‘Solitary’). He carries a wounded psyche with a bitter taste in the mouth (‘Hurt’) With the personal sense of failure he joins the general sense of suffering and disillusionment of our age: ‘We / Bearing the pain of the wounded age / Will carry the garbage of history’ (‘Torment’) When dealing with this mood, Dr. Mahendra Bhatnagar is a modernist like W.B. Yeats and T.S.Eliot.
On the other hand, the note of buoyancy and hoe is even stronger. It is in the nature of man to love all created things and beautiful objects; it is also natural to him to imagine beautiful worlds (‘Duty’) The poet is fully conscious of the dignity and power of labour (‘The Valiant Workers’) For him, experience has proved that the dark hours are bound to pass and day will surely dawn (‘Experience - Proved’) It is true that man is powerless before destiny and nothing can stop the progress of human knowledge and science. His deepest insight is that which all great thinkers and poets have realized: ‘in this life / There is nothing, / Nothing indeed / More beautiful than love / anywhere!’ However, he also knows that there is nothing more difficult than love - it is an ideal not easily to be achieved. Yet try we must because as W.H. Auden describes in a poem, ‘We must love one another, or die.’
(1) EXUBERANCE
The evening,
Caught between light and shade
The rain falls,
The sky drizzles!
Repeatedly,
See how
The eager wind
Knocks the door-
Expected, unexpected!
Far and near,
In fields, in market places and on the crossroads,
Impassioned,
And knowingly getting trembling-wet
Is the beloved's body!
(2) DUTY
To love
This life, this world
Is what a man must do!
To love
People,
Mute animals, birds, sea-creatures,
The forest creepers,
The trees,
Is what a man must do!
To love
The buds and the blooms,
The myriad hued
Butterflies
Is what a man must do!
To love
The miracle-studded,
And wonderously
Incoherent
Dreams;
To love
The dainty fairies
Floating through the sweetest
Fancies
Is what a man must do!
(3) RECOGNITION
How ugly
Is the realty
Of these sky-kissing
Rainbow-rimmed
Buildings
Is known to us!
How petty, fragmented and dwarfish
Is the face of these heights
Is known to us!
How beautiful
Is the unreal and false attraction
Of these fairy-world-like young women
Is known to us!
How pleasing, soft and enthralling
Is the lotus leaved
Fair-skinned touch
Is known to us!
Familiar are we
With the prick of
These fragrant nectared
Moist flowers;
With the primeval burning of the body
Scented with the wine of lust,
How inviting
Is their bed
Is known to us!
(4) CLIMAX
Only a moment
Marks the difference -
Between happening
And non-happening!
A fine border line stretches
Between being and non-being.
Only a thin line
Lies Between laughter
And tears!
A little change,
And the expression
Of our innermost feelings
Changes.
It is not possible
To draw the boundary
Between living and dying!
Conditions -
Are almost the same,
A desire kept alive
For ages
May take shape one moment,
And may disappear the next.
A blink in time
Is enough
To change gain into loss.
Only a moment lies
Between being
And non-being.
(5) BUILDING
The walls rise
Like the sides of a well.
Rooms are small
Like narrow streets;
In it -
There is neither a garden
Nor a courtyard
Is this
A picture of modern architecture ?
Or,
An image
Of the cramped heart,
A mirror
Of self
Trapped in itself !
(6) TO LIVE
Terror fills the skies,
Hot are the winds
With sulphur, with venom;
But up to the destination
Braving storms
Ceaselessly,
We have to move!
Like a flood of fire
The flames shoot up
Again and again;
But up to the destination
Over crackling embers,
On lonely paths,
We have to walk,
Bearing the heat,
Getting singed and
Being burnt!
Mines of gunpowder
Are laid all over,
In the rivers, the mountains and the forests
But up to the destination
Solitary,
We have to walk,
Our iron feet pounding
The pits, the trenches
Again and again.
(7) BIRTHDAY
And now turns
One more page
Of this book of life.
One year
More
Of
Living.
Lucky I was,
Death
Spared me.
Even
In the storm,
The lamp
Kept burning.
(8) MEETING
Since
We knew each other -
Involuntarily,
Sweet songs began to flow
From my mute lips.
The first time
I saw you,
My eyes were lost in you,
Hope soared
The heart spread wings
And wished
To touch the sky.
(9) TOUCH
O
Innocent!
Your soft cool
Fingers
Touched
My forehead -
That moment,
I thought no more
Of my problems.
In my heart
Suddenly burst forth
Thousands of
Morning fresh flowers ~
And faded
The countless thorns
And desert bushes
Of my path.
(10) FAILED
The wave like
Bouncing hopes in my heart
Died down.
Suddenly,
The twittering branch
Of the evening
Went deaf and mute.
The waiting,
Sleepless
Eyes
Wept helplessly
In silence.
The mourning night
Washed the whole creation
With droplets of dew.
(11) WAITING
The night
Is cold and endless -
How long
Can we keep awake?
The night
Is wet,
Dew-drenched,
The curse
Of winter
How much more -
Can we bear quietly ?
The shivering body,
In the fog
Leaves droop,
How long
Can we tell
The story of our agony ?
(12) IT HAS NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE
It
Has never happened before -
That words
Have been so crippled,
Words with feet,
Words that walk and run,
Not one,
But so many of them!
It
Has never happened before -
That words
Of myriad expressions,
Of various intents
Have become hollow,
Ineffective,
Mere signs!
Words
Do not walk on crutches,
Their feet
Are winged,
They rise in the boundless sky
For hundred of yards,
They cross
The deepest ravines,
Time and again,
They bring back
Bundles of precious rubies!
Such words,
Such swift words,
Such darkness destroying words,
Such fire-like scorching words,
It
Has never happened before
That they have become lame,
That they have fainted,
That they have cooled down!
Words,
Pregnant with
The condensed pain
Of an entire life
Have become
So bare,
Have been lost so completely
In the air.
(13) UNFETTERED VOICE
Who is it
That stops you
From telling the truth?
Who is it
That prevents you
From laying bare
The reality of life?
Who keeps in check
Your consciousness?
Who has chained
Your inspirations?
Who
Strangles
Your voice?
Lined with despair
Is your face,
Tearful are your eyes,
Screaming
Impotence.
How long
Will this throat remain dry ?
The voice —
The hoarse voice
Speaks,
How clearly
It expresses everything.
No,
Let this bondage
End,
Let it loosen
With each heartbeat.
Let the voice be free,
Unbound!
Speak —
This stiffness will end!
And each word
Will become radiant!
(14) THE VALIANT WORKERS
We are the ones
To bring new dawn to every home,
To paint the world in rainbow colours,
To give fragrance to the buds,
To fill voices with new songs.
We are the ones
To give music to fee
To pour nectar into life,
To put dreams into eyes,
To fill the dawn with spring-bloom.
It is we who make life worth living,
It is we who believe - work is valor.
(15) NOT ANY MORE
Not a step more
On the path
Of age-worn principles,
Today lies uncovered
Each deception
Of this exploiting system.
No longer possible it is
To be caught in the beliefs of the past,
And to stunt
The ever expanding consciousness.
Uncovered is the banality
Of all old rituals,
No longer possible it is
To destroy
The new creation
Of the ever-changing social life.
A new peak of human respect
Rises,
The earth and the sky are bathed
In a new light,
The crushed life
Glows,
The hard rock is moulded
Into beautiful sculpture.
(16) UNWANTED
I never wanted it -
That the nimble feet
Of coloured dreams
Should not reach the horizon!
I never wanted it -
That the rain should not fill with song
The heavens of this life!
That the lightening should not flash
In the lap of the nectar-raining
Dark clouds!
I never wanted it -
That the tiredness
Of failed fancies
Should break wings,
That youth
Should not kiss
The riding tides!
But,
Things kept happening, unwanted,
Dreams became cripple,
Lost was the pleasant dewiness
Of saavan6
When the sweetness
Of a loving heart
Turned to poison!
(17) EXPERIENCE-PROVED
Undoubtedly,
This night will be pitch-dark,
This night will be ghastly,
And each hurting knock
Will fail,
And defeated will this night pass!
Undoubtedly,
We shall be free
From the agonising dark circle,
We shall stand before
A golden morning,
A morning
Tinted with vermilion!
Undoubtedly,
Light
Will conquer darkness,
Yes, undoubtedly!
Birds shall twitter,
And men
Shall sing the morning choir!
From the sky,
Shall descend
The sunbeams with dancing steps,
Smiling brightly!
It is certain
That the torturous, difficult, distressing and dark
Night shall pass!
Teeming
This sky shall rain fury,
And the wounded life of man
Shall heal !
(18) DESIRED
I have roved so much
In the murkiness of clouds,
I have wandered endlessly
In the darkness of my mind!
Carrying
My sable-ashen body
I have rambled unceasingly,
Day in and day out,
I have wandered!
Now is the time
To bathe to the full
In the stream of light,
To get into the radiant waterfall of truth
And bathe for the rest of my life!
I will sink in light,
And I will swim in light,
I will let my body float,
And I will let my mind float,
I will bathe to the full!
(19) RELEVANCE
Come,
Let's step out
Of the circle of these walls,
Of these ramparts!
Let's rise above
Our pleasure seeking
And change the world's lament
Into music!
Let's gift smiles
To pale, weeping faces,
Let's clear the mist
Hanging over life's path!
Let's paint
This pitch dark world
With a resplendent brilliance,
With merciless attacks
Of miseries and wants.
Let's cover
The defects and the helplessness
With victory-garlands
Laden with yellow and red roses!
Let's visit each home
And give the frightened children
Lovely laughter,
Let's raise a colourful garden
On this gravelled and thorny barrenness!
(20) LIFE
Each arrived moment
Is welcome!
Holding my hand
Rises the day,
Riding on my shoulders
Grows the day,
Out of my mind
A new piece of writing
Is shaped by the day,
Out of my body
A new creation
Is sculpted by the day,
Fighting on my strength
Has the day been victorious,
On my living from moment to moment
Lives the day,
My pace gives meaning
To the immortal time,
I am
The unconquered, ceaseless fighting,
Before me bows
Each mountain-obstacle
Each approaching moment
Is welcome!
(21) RESPONCE
From the nuclear explosion
Rose
The voice of Lord Buddha —
Let assured
Be peace,
Let everywhere
Be the glow of goodness!
Let secure
Be the civilization, culture and humanity,
Let evil disappear from the world!
Let the world be free
From violence and cruelty,
And be full of love and kindness!
Let not
Animal power
Celebrate now the festival of death anywhere!
Only then will meaningful
Be this great invention
Of knowledge and of science,
This matchless and wonderful
Gift of man!
(22) COURAGE
It's true, man is powerless
Before chance,
However capable a person might be
It's only destiny that wins,
It takes only a moment
For man's creation to crumble down
So potent is Nature.
And yet, each challenge is welcome,
Come what may,
Incessant will the progress be
Of human knowledge and science.
(23) GOING TO THE KARGIL FRONT
O the brave saviours of our borders!
Pounce on the enemy posts and devastate them.
Let the barbaric killers of our motherland
Be strewn everywhere,
Let the boom of your guns
Strike terror in their hearts.
(24) FUTILE
Proved it is
That those who have
Privilege and wealth
Are powerful.
Selfishly
And in gratification of lust
The strong constantly
Plundered the weak,
Were masters of time
The way they liked.
Their islands of opulence
Are everywhere,
And from end to end stretches
Their mighty empire,
They are hailed everywhere!
How difficult it seems
To create a fresh world
Of equality,
Free from exploitation,
Why does the superman
Not incarnate
Into a figure of justice
And fame !
(25) RADIANCE
Life-long
It burns
Consuming itself !
It destroys
Darkness
Spread over faraway paths!
It fills
Each house with glow
Born out of an inner flame!
Its representatives we are,
The best and the fittest,
We the destroyers of darkness
We the guides to light
(26) YEARNINGS
The whole day long -
The solitary
Rover played
With the silk-smooth
Grass lying on the ground,
With the bright
Gold like sun
Stepping into the courtyard,
Self-willed and free - this alone
Played abundantly,
The whole day long!
The whole day long -
In the shade
Of fresh heavy laden flowers,
In the embrace
Of greenish thorns,
Caught
In the inebriating fragrance
Was lost!
Swung
In the branches
Of shy innocent buds,
Of long, thin pods!
Swung arm in arm
With each branch, each leaf,
Swung the whole day long!
The whole day long -
Loved
The butterflies
Wearing pied printed sarees
And the spring-yellow
Love-mature and talkative mustard flowers,
Loved abundantly,
Danced together from field to field,
The whole day long!
The whole day long -
On the tamarind
And on the guava tree
Secretly moved
From branch to branch,
In the ears of the berry-bush
Whispered
Who knows what!
Played,
Played the whole day long!
(27) WINTER-WET
Slowly descended
The dew-drops
All through the night!
An ice-cold silence
Shields the sleeping earth,
On leaves and flowers danced
The love-puppet night,
The artist mist
Constructed a canopied dwelling!
Here, there and everywhere,
Like scattered diamonds are drops of
water,
Stealthily prowl about
The gusts of wind,
Like a guard
Woke the waterfall ringing!
Lively is the gathering
Presided over by the night,
Her lover tightly held in her arms,
Wakes and sleeps the beloved,
Hidden somewhere
Is the frightened dawn !
(28) WINTER
Wet and heavy is the night,
And far away is sleep!
A deep murkiness is all around,
And a long way off is the crimson morning,
All sounds are still,
At such a time, why are you silent,
Do share a secret with me!
The fog rains quietly,
Cooled has been the sky's heat,
Silently meet the earth and sky,
At such a moment be with me,
Or else, the cold body will shiver!
Only the silence reigns
Trees sway beyond the fields,
Unexpectedly do the doors rattle,
Do not open the window and peep out,
There is intoxicating wind lies in wait!
(29) CONCLUSION
In this life
There is nothing,
Nothing indeed
More beautiful than love,
Anywhere!
If birth is a blessing
It is because of this,
Indeed, because of this!
If the fragrant life is more bewitching
Than even fascination,
It is because of this!
In this life
There is nothing,
Nothing indeed
More comforting than love,
Anywhere!
Because there is love,
So this life has the scent of a flower,
Or else, it is a thorn in the heart,
Burning its way each moment!
In this life
There is nothing,
Nothing indeed
More difficult than love
Anywhere!
(30) SYMBOL
Who knows when
You kept a bunch
Of entwined flowers
In my room
And left!
It is as if
You placed a mirror
Reflecting rays
Of myriad unfelt and new
Feelings
In my room
And were deceived
By yourself !
O!
The meaning of life
Suddenly changed
As if
Someone stumbling
Regained balance
With new feelings of love
And rising like huge new waves.
(31) YOU …
You are the sparrow
Of my courtyard
You will fly away!
Now my house rings
With sweet harmony,
The nectar of love rains
From all sides,
I fear
Who knows when
You will leave and be lost!
As long as
We are together,
Let's hold hands,
For a few days at least,
Let's live together
As partners
In pleasure and pain,
Let's love each other,
You are the pathway of my life,
Who knows where and when
You will branch off.
(32) AWARENESS OF JOY
After a long wait have bloomed
Flowers in the pot,
Yellow joyous flowers,
The thickly-petalled
Fresh marigold flowers!
After a long wait have bloomed
Flowers in my life,
Soft, delighted flowers
Of exhilarating feelings,
The luscious flowers!
After ages
Have I received
The gift of sawan and bhadon7.
After ages
Have the doors been decorated
With buntings of mango leaves!
(33) FESTIVAL
Bloom!
Bloom, O colourful flowers!
Bloom in each pot,
Bloom in each bed,
Bloom in joy!
Bloom!
Bloom, O colourful flowers!
Swing on each branch,
Swing playfully
In the soft breeze!
Bloom!
Bloom, O colourful flowers!
Graze the young buds,
Touch each leaf,
Touch the green veil of the earth!
(34) CONTRADITORY
In desolate forests,
A warm welcome
To the blooming flowers
Raining on beds of thorns,
Flowers-mute in agony!
A joyous, hearty welcome
To the multicoloured
Nectar raining
Blushing flowers!
An ardent welcome
To the succor giving flowers,
Lying on gravelly
And difficult
Thorn-filled path!
But, there is only
The feel of pricking thorns
On each step,
Everywhere rings their cacophony,
Hurting the body
And the mind!
O creator!
Do not create
A one-sided life!
(35) LONELY
In this city
Of glorious buildings,
Of reflections of beauty
Floating in luminescence,
Who is known to you,
Who indeed is familiar?
Someone with whom
You can talk easily,
Anytime,
Some with whom you can share
The secrets of the heart!
Someone who is
Close to your heart,
And reliable!
Someone to whom
You can write a letter,
And talk on phone,
Unhesitatingly!
Someone whose door
You can knock boldly,
Or call out his name!
Who is such
A friend of yours ?
All are unfamiliar,
All are strangers
In this large, sprawling city!
Not anywhere in sight
Is someone
Who can be called your own!
(36) SOLITARY
Now, O!
No one remembers me.
No one ever visits me!
Life lies mute
In the arms of death -
Now, O!
The heart does not make songs,
Nor does it sing any!
Silent are the instruments,
No tune
Is played on them
Nor any rises!
Those who were there -
Have been lost on the way,
Those who are there -
Tired-defeated / bored
Have gone to sleep!
Whom would one call,
Whom would one wake up?
The world has grown strange
And we have become aliens!
Whom would one visit
Who would be drawn close to the heart ?
Each is lost
In himself,
In his joys,
In his sorrows!
No one is with me,
All Colours have fled from life!
(37) THE FINAL CURTAIN
It's evening now!
No one will come
Forget
All names!
It's evening now!
Do not light the lamps
Soothing is the darkness,
Let me dream
Of one
Who has always
Deceived me!
The one who has grown
In the helpless silence of my mind!
Nothing remains
To be done!
It's evening now!
Let me go to bed
This early in the evening,
Unendingly!
Dimensions ....
Dimensions!
Do not light the lamps
(38) WONDER
Who stole the laughter of flowers ?
Who gave us a harvest of thorns ?
Who Oh! torments again and again
Cruelly reminding me of long forgotten lapses ?
(39) HURT
The mouth has a bitter taste,
How can I drink ?
Living on is a compulsion,
Heavy is the heart,
How can I welcome someone
With a false smile ?
Desolate and sear is the garden,
Withered and mute is life
Where are the flowers now?
Only the yellow leaves fall!
(40) BROKEN HEARTED
When faith
Is lost -
There is an earthquake
Inside,
Within,
A massive blood-tide rises!
But uncomplainingly
A man
Bears the hurt
Of harsh fate,
Lying silent and half dead
On a bed of embers,
He is burnt each moment!
He lives and dies
Against the backdrop
Of shrieks and moans,
And drinks poison
Laughing insanely!
Faith
Is lost when
A companionship
Ends!
(41) RENUNCIATION-CONSCIOUSNESS
When a simple and believing man
Bears
The cunning and infidelity
Of those near his heart,
Then ...
He weeps in pain
Alone,
And laments over
His misfortune again and again!
But
He does not become a murderer,
Nor does he commit sucide,
Alone
He burns silently
In the hell-fires of his mind,
And consoles himself meaninglessly,
Again and again wandering in delusion
And thus deceives himself
Repeatedly!
Do not think him a coward,
It's known to him
That nothing will be gained
By cursing anyone!
Why should one run away
From the act of living this life!
(42) Relationship
When the fortress of trust
Crumbles -
The crippled man
Bears silently
The deepest agony ...
He gets ready
To live
A meaningless life,
And to taste bitterness
Everyday!
His remaining days are singed!
When the fortress of trust
Crumbles!
Or else,
Annihilating himself
He floats noiselessly in emptiness!
Destroying his identity
He quietly says -
O, do not break
Anyone's trust -
Trust is the bond,
Trust is life!
Ä
(43) Companions
O waves of pain!
How much and
How long
Will you tickle me ?
How much and
How long
Will you make me laugh
Uncontrollably ?
Holding me in your arms
How long
And how far
Will you make me
Your loving companion ?
O waves of pain
Cruel
Waves wounding the consciousness!
Ä
(44) Agony
Had my life
Been a waste,
I'd have endured it,
In a sorrowful voice
I'd have sung poems
Now and then!
But
To bear this painful experience
Of septic wounds,
To be scorched from moment to moment
In this flaming furnace of life
From birth to death
Is killing,
Is cruelly destroying!
The entire ocean
Has gone muddy,
Who knows
The sins of how many births
Visit me!
Ä
(45) The Final Request
Poor,
Extremely poor I am,
While leaving
Give me also
Something to live on!
Something which is
Truly mine
Something which is
A pleasant sweet, dream!
Thirsty,
Very thirsty I am,
While leaving
Give me also
Something to drink!
Let that be the clean Ganga2-water,
Let that be overflowing honey!
I know
I have to burn
Till the last moment,
A deep darkness hangs
Over the road on which I travel!
A curse has been
This lonely life,
Strictly prohibited are laughter and tears!
Ä
(46) Advice
O body, you are so tired,
O mind, so weak and defeated are you
Go to sleep!
This living
Has been hard,
This living in the howling
Of violent storms!
O my sad and hurt soul,
O my deeply wounded body,
Lose your memory,
And feel a bit better!
You are very tired
Go to sleep!
Ä
(47) Arrogance
To me
You gave a roof
And security
And respect
And a beautiful name
Of a relationship -
Should merely for this
This statement be justified -
'Hate
The sinful act
And not the sinner ?'
What is sin?
What is virtue?
What is truth?
Ä
(48) Frustrated
When -
That which was wanted \ desired \ longed for
Was not gained,
What was the sense in living ?
When
In a green garden
Spread over miles
The desired, loved,
Fragrant,
Thrilled rose failed to bloom :
When life's struggle went waste,
When the heart
Was tortured by misery
Each moment,
What was the sense in living?
Agreed that
Many precious gifts came my way,
And diamond necklaces too,
On countless successes
Innumerable throats sang
My praise to the skies,
I received the high-test awards,
And blessings at each step!
But
I did not get what I desired -
It seems that this precious life
Was a waste,
As if almost complete
Difficult austerities
Failed at the end!
The flames of want rose,
Each dream was reduced to ash!
As is no one's blessings touched
The poor, frustrated, indigent beggar!
Ä
(49) Unaffected
For years
I have lived this life
Alone
And will go on living quietly
The rest of it!
I drank poison-water
Day and night
Helplessly,
In the eager expectation of death!
In watching the annihilating future!
Everything poisoned
I'll drink gladly
Unbidden,
Living my remaining days!
Do not worry -
I am the resident of a house of poison,
I am the great
Pilgrimage of Shiva8
Of my time!
Ä
(50) Self-Observation
Throughout my life
I did not do
A good deed!
Like this
All live their lives,
I did not have an extraordinary life!
I was lost
In myself,
O Creator!
Be merciful and forgive me!
Ä
(51) Before End - 1
Memories are flowers!
Multicoloured,
Laughing flowers!
When memories
Wake -
It seems each door is decorated
With buntings of mango leaves
All around!
Life becomes fragrant
With scents.
Life overflows
With sweet, intoxicating nectar
Life glows
With bright fresh colours!
At such moments
Man immerses himself
In the sweet world of dreams
Forgetting the present!
Everywhere, everything
Looks favourable,
As if branches are laden
With flowers!
As if flowers of pleasant feelings
Swing everywhere!
Ä
(52) Before End - 2
Memories are thorns!
Piercing, pointed thorns!
When memories
Awaken -
It seems as if
All around a dust storm rages,
Life burns
In painful hell-fires,
Life stumbles, cries
In wilderness,
With a stricken heart!
Man
At such moments
Crumbles and falls
In the dark, deep cave
And is uprooted completely!
Everywhere, everything
Appears hindering,
The sharp piercing thorns
Enter the heart!
The thorns of painful
Unwanted experience.
Ä
(53) Enlightenment
Strange it is,
Days ... weeks ... months ... years
Pass in strife
A wonder it is!
There is nothing one can control!
O, nothing indeed,
Does life
Mean
'Helplessness'?
One day
Just like that
Suddenly everything
Will vanish!
Do we see a dividing line
Anywhere ?
Then what can be said about
Meaningfulness / futility ?
Existence -
It's something that will disappear,
Birth and consciousness
Are something to be dissolved,
Then
Why this strife ?
Let
Night and day
Day and night
Pass each moment,
Unbroken is the passage of time,
Through obstacles and felicity!
Ä
(54) Someone Unknown
A man / bent / dejected
Moaning in pain
Carrying a ruined life
Passed away.
A man / bent / desperate
Hurt and bleeding profusely
Screaming / asking for succour / just a moment ago
Passed away.
Ä
(55) To The Hawker
What is this?
Everyday
You throw a blood-drenched
Newspaper
Into my house ?
Full of all kinds of accidents
Is each column,
Marks of indiscriminately fired bullets
Showing clearly on each page!
One is afraid
Of touching it ... of reading it,
Flaming
Poison throwing
The newspaper comes to bite me!
Although
Every night I go to bed
After having heard the news
That nothing unpleasant happened anywhere,
There is tension
But everything is in control!
Ä
(56) Suicide
We ourselves
Are destroying us!
Strange
That we do not feel the pain!
Because
Our hearts and mind
Are drugged
By the primitive and savage insanity
Of religion.
We ourselves
Are throwing hand-grenades on ourselves!
In madness
Are laying mines of fire
In our own house
And are attacking our own people!
We ourselves
Have abondoned the shape of a man
And have put on animal hides,
We growl
And snatch away the lives
Of our own descendants!
Ä
(57) People
People only walk behind
The crowd!
Their destination
They don't know,
They are vacuous,
Completely thoughtless!
Or wander
Near their nests!
There
Is a noise,
Has a man-eater
Come?
In the susurration
Of pine forests!
Ä
(58) Keep Awake
Keep awake, in this world till dawn!
There is terror all around,
The wounded humanity weeps
Bear the strokes, till people are united!
Let each man be free from bondage
Fight against the current
Till the people's strife to victory rages!
Fight death,
Do not give up
Move towards the goal, do not stop
Till the savages are broken and defeated!
Ä
(59) Corruption
How well it spreads
All around
Like weed!
Every moment
It has been pushing the country
Into the abyss.
Has played a cruel barbarous game
With the precious lives of millions!
Mean and unwanted
Is this behavior,
Polluted is
The character!
Ä
(60) The End
A crowd of swindlers
Sing full-throated
Each other's praise!
Flourish
In air-conditioned houses,
Sing songs of victory
And enjoy a comfortable ride
On the merry-go-round!
Let you be successful,
Let all problems be solved soon!
Wealth is all, it is supremacy,
The scoundrels know its glory
They know
Its unlimited and invincible power!
But, all were caught
In the bind of the law
Great sawamis, all politicians
Cunning ministers, hypocritical religious saints!
Wonder of wonders!
This is Hidimba3, not Rambha6!
The false masks have fallen away,
The real faces are visible!
Ä
(61) A Victory Story
Terror wails!
Riddled \ gory
Innocent corpses,
Corpses scattered
In fields and farms,
Corpses strewn
On roads.
Powerless,
Mother, wife, sisters, daughters,
Father, brothers, friends, neighbours -
Impulses checked,
Fury held back,
Bent heads
Mute, helpless!
In the house of worship
Celebrations
By the followers of the Guru and God,
By the theists !
Ä
(62) Torment
Terror : noiselessness
A hush spreads everywhere
Scared dogs
Frightened birds
Are tongue-tied
It appears
Once again
The cruel barbarians
Have killed innocent people,
Have killed them mercilessly!
They have been snuffed out
In the dead of night,
Strengthening the silence
Once again have rung
Many slogans of religion!
Danger waits
Extreme danger!
When the night ends
Nervous dogs will wail,
And frightened birds will cry!
We,
Bearing the pain of the wounded age
Will carry the garbage of history!
Ä
(63) Protection
Let's tear off
And throw into raging fire
The countless leeches
Stuck on the new body of the nation,
Blood hungry,
Greed-guided
Ravenous,
Are these leeches -
Let us prevent immediately
Their all consuming lust
From devouring everything!
Let the new body of the nation
Not be destroyed thus,
Let a handful of selfish people
Not plunder the wealth of the developing nation!
Ä
(64) A Show
You too offered fake coins
And came back?
What a pity!
We were deceived even this time!
See -
Is not 'secularism'
A fake coin?
And 'social justice' too?
These are not the only ones,
There are many other
Completely worn black coins -
Those of 'national unity'
Those of 'constitutional protection'
Which you threw even this time
On a show of a joker!
You who were the maker of India's destiny!
One expected
Gold and silver coins
From you,
What a mess you have made!
It's a strange and absurd show
There is complete hopelessness,
What kind of democratic structure is this?
Rather it is just the raining of slaps
On the people's cheeks!
Ä
(65) Acceptance
Loneliness is your lot
Tolerate it
Happily!
Loneliness is natural
Take it
Desirously!
To try to escape it -
Is aberration!
Only accepting it
Is a boon!
Therefore
Accept this willingly,
Respect this whole-heartedly!
Ä
(66) Helpless
If life is pain,
Then bear its pangs
We must!
If life is a secret,
Then remain silent
We must!
If there is no harbour
Then row on
We must!
If life is a calamity
Then be washed away
We must!
If fire surrounds us,
Then burn constantly
We must!
How terrible is truth!
Then utter every falsehood
We must!
Ä
(67) One Night
Like a flash of lightning
You came in the dark sky of my life!
In my arms you swung
When swayed freely the month of sawan6!
Like a shruti9 tune you rang
When the kajali4 was heard outside!
Like the music of anklets you chimed
When the tri-yama10 became fragrant!
Standing near the tulsi11 in the courtyard
You shone resplendent, O the only one!
Like a flame you glowed
Coming in my forlorn home and courtyard!
Ä
(68) Suddenly
Today I remembered you,
My heart resounded with song !
As if the sound of Anhad1 echoed in my heart !
After years,
O, after years!
Your company was the only truth,
Your hand the only protection,
Everything has disappeared, but
The ecstasy of each lived moment remains!
Ages have entered oblivion,
Sowing dreams in nights,
But those sweet images
Have always inhabited my life!
Ä
(69) Before The Rains
Today dark clouds fill the sky,
Inky clouds!
After months
Of heat,
And the scorching of the body,
The veil of atmosphere fluttered
As it embraced the breeze!
As if someone threw
On its shoulders
The silk shawl
Of the slate clouds!
Bewitching is the sight,
Delightful are the clouds,
The inky clouds!
Ä
(70) Truth
Bondage
Rises-as a challenge
As refusal,
And raises always
Rebellion / force / resistence
Blazes / anger.
Bondage
Rises - as love's achievement,
As acceptance,
And raises -
Infatuation / permanent binding / graceful offering
The fire of living.
Ä
(71) A Particular Thought
Dreams do not come true just like that,
It takes generations to realize them,
Dreams do not turn into reality
By mere words of manav5- incantation,
The patience and diligence of generations
Actualizes them!
Ä
(72) Meaningfulness
The day
Man loves his fellow beings,
Rises
Above each division
Forgets
The difference
Between the familiar and the unfamiliar,
And welcomes all -
Dreams
Will become true,
And the world
Will appear friendly.
Ä
(73) A Wish
Let life flow freely,
Let it lead to victory!
Let each one find solace
Under the tree-shade of blessings!
Let there be songs played day and night
On the harp of the soul!
Let sweet dreams ever come
And bring pleasure and laughter!
Let no one be sad
Let laughter ring!
Let each man become gold
Made pure in the inner fire!
Let each one bear bravely
The knocks of the unknown fate!
Ä
(74) Possible - 1
Come
Let's strike
Stirke hard -
Things will change,
The belly of the earth
Will shake,
Rock layers
Will crack,
And will gush forth
Fountains!
Come
Let's strike
Strike together -
The situation will change,
Rocks will sprout,
And will dress up
In verdure!
Ä
(75) Possible - 2
Come
Let's ram in
Ram in with all force,
Ultimately
The shape of iron
Will change,
The closed fortress-gate
Will open!
Holding flames of freedom
Everyone will walk in,
And in each corner
Will look for his life's treasure!
The bugle of a new age will sound,
The sun will rise!
Come
Let's ram in,
Ram in together
Our lives will be made,
Each needy and suffering person
Will find his feet!
Ä
Appendix
1 Anhad Nad
The inner sound of the heart which can be heard by yogis.
2 Ganga-water
Water of the sacred river - the Ganges (In India)
3 Hidimba
A demon princess in Indian mythology who married Bhim, one of the Pandavas in the Mahabharata.
4 Kajali
A type of folk-song; sung by ladies during Bhadon (a rainy month) festival.
5 Manav-mantra
Words of incantation - for full-filling the dreams.
6 Rambha
A mythological figure, was a celestial court dancer in the court of god Indra, the king of Hindu gods. She is a symbol of female beauty.
7 Savan \ Bhadon
Are two consecutive months (fifth and sixth) of the rainy season in Indian (Hindu) calendar.
8 Shiv-Tirth
A great pilgrimage of Shiv - a Hindu god of welfare.
9 Shruti-svar
A minute part of a musical note produced at the time of carrying one musical note to another.
10 Tri-yama
Third part of the night - a time of union of husband & wife.
11 Tulsi
A famous basil plant. It is considered holy by Hindus and worshipped in their courtyards.
Ä
Address :
Dr. Mahendra Bhatnagar
110, BalwantNagar, Gandhi Road,
GWALIOR — 474 002 (M.P.) INDIA
Phone :
0751-4092908 / M - 098934-09793
E-Mail :
drmahendrabh@rediffmail.com
Ä
Thursday, November 29, 2007
POEMS : FOR A BETTER WORLD
POEMS : FOR A BETTER WORLD
POET : DR. MAHENDRA BHATNAGAR
Dr. Mahendra Bhatnagar’s is one of the significant post-independence voices in Hindi and Indian English Poetry, expressing the lyricism and pathos, aspirations and yearnings of the modern Indian intellect. Rooted deep into the Indian soil, his poems reflect not only the moods of a poet but of a complex age.
Born : 26 June 1926: Jhansi (U.P.), Edu. : M.A. (1948), Ph.D. (1957) from Nagpur University; Retd. Professor.
Several volumes of poetry in English and other languages are published, viz. In French ‘A MODERN INDIAN POET : Dr. Mahendra Bhatnagar : UN POÈTE INDIEN ET MODERNE; In English Forty Poems of Mahendra Bhatnagar After The Forty Poems Exuberance and other poems Dr.Mahendra Bhatnagar’s Poetry Death Perception : Life Perception Passion and Compassion Poems : For A Better World A Handful of Light Lyric-Lute. etc. Poems are translated in most of the Indian languages.
Published research & critical studies :
(1) Living Through Challenges : A Study of Dr. Mahendra Bhatnagar’s Poetry
(2) Poet Dr. Mahendra Bhatnagar : His Mind And Art.
Adviser — ‘POETCRIT’. At present — Reasearch Guide in many Indian Universities.
Contact :
110 BalwantNagar, Gandhi Road,
Gwalior — 474 002 (M.P.) INDIA
Phone : 0751-4092908 / M - 098934 09793
E-Mail : drmahendrabh@rediffmail.com
Hope Turning Pearls : The Vision of New and Better World in the Poetry of Mahendra Bhatnagar
— Dr. Shaleen Kumar Singh
Mahendra Bhatnagar, a well-established name of optimistic and humanistic poetry, with his mammoth published works has emerged before us as an icon of protest and sensitive poetry which not only infuses an understanding and an eye of glancing the reality of things but also motivates us to stand affront and speak against such eccentricities and leads us to think and rethink over it time and again. Neither has he wished us to be Messiah, nor God incarnate nor anyone castigating the masses. He regards 'Poetry as the vehicle for locating a man in the matrix of existence in the society' which is largely woven with the warp and woof mainly political social absurdities of time. Mahendra Bhatnagar is a realist essentially and favours simple and unpretentious style, though his poetry is conversational sometimes in tone, implying all its gazettes, is a dialogue and his (previous collections) in Hindi mostly which are written in metre and rhyme, yet the present collection in unmetrical and unrhymed verse, points towards his profound understanding of burning questions of contemporary time.
The present collection is a portrayal of the tragedies of modern times where he sometimes considers translations as a bridge between two minds' for making a stranger familiar, sometimes castigates the 'so-called saviors of the nation'; the leaders, bureaucrats and contractors and sometimes with his brimming optimism appears to be singing the welcome song of 21st century as well as praying for the global unity, harmony and peace. His poems are not only philosophical, realistic, spontaneous, romantic, optimist- ice, natural and mystic but also depict the most essential theme of modern times; the theme of global peace which now appears to be in peril because the monsters of terrorism have slain the We feeling among the mankind and put a more detestable picture of the world. In the first poem of the collection 'Translation : A Conjunction', the poet feels that translation of literature should be encouraged so that we may bridge the gaps of cultural, ethical and linguistic diversities. He says :
Translation is
A celestial body of
Human sagacity
Distinguished and significant. (p. 17)
But do we ever think why the poet took such themes as the main subject of his poetry. It is certainly the complex and paradoxical scenario of the present in which we boast of our achievement of reaching to the moon but fail to reach to the heart of the proliterate and the common man. The hearts are broken, panic-stricken and even painful. Our advancement in science and technology has gratified us with the innumerable boons of Computer, Electricity, Air-Plains, and Rockets and so on, yet it has also given birth to the lethal concepts of capitalism, existentialism, utilitarianism and individualism on the other. The more we have broadened our limits of thinking, the more we have shrunk in our attitude. The degeneration, hoarding, shooting graph of crimes, socio political dilemmas mental conflicts, injustice, inequalities and corruption of all kinds can hardly afford the poet in Bhatnagar to be quiet and agape. In the poem 'Vasudhev Kutumbkm', 'Whole World A Family' begins with the castigation of a man who creates a wedge between man and man :
In today's progressive and civilized world
Segregation man from man
On the basis of
Castes, households, creeds or wealth;
Calling one the low
And the other high
Calling one our own
Another one other's
Is a serious crime
An unpardonable crime. (p. 85)
Man has been shattered absolutely. He is in the grip of terror, dumb or helpless and is controlling his emotions. A horrible image of terror can be seen here :
Extreme constrictions
Has palsied lips
Hands and feet have been immobilized
Angst reigns
Humanity seethes with anger
Holocaust looms large everywhere. (p. 111)
A large number of the poems of the collection deal with the social problems of Modern Indian society like 'The Bigots' on communalism, 'In 1996 A.D.' on Linguism, 'The Destitute' on Poetry, 'Atmosphere', 'Trickery of Votes' on Political hollowness, 'One Sunday' on boredom, 'Terror-struck' on Terrorism, 'Self-Destruction' on Dehumanization and 'Corruption' on Corruption. Rest of other poems are either an urge to rebuild our society or to revive our ancient morals or to re-communicate with modern man so that our progeny may dream for a happy social set-up and enhance our mental, ethical, moral and cultural status to an optimum level. Many poems of the collection inspire man to act and to live life in all its totality without panic and hesitation and advises the man not to be fatalist, frustrated and dismay. Anita Myles recognizes this trait of the poet and observes :
'' He does not believe in destiny and that man is mere a puppet in the power and ever tightening grip of destiny yet he encourages one to live on with grief, fortitude and determination.''1
He considers Man as Man and limitations of man as well. He says :
Man
Is human
And not an animal. (p. 21)
But he suggests further :
Endow him with wisdom
He will understand,
Amend himself
And shall stand altered. (ibid)
And invokes the Modern Man and Thinkers in 'Invoking Modern Man' to make their own societies by saying :
Modern thinkers
Come, draw near us
And for the sake of humanity
Let us create our society. (Ibid)
This dreamy society of the poet will be : 'having no religion and no caste' or 'geographical boundaries of the nation.' At a place the poet is so perplex that he questions in the beginning of the poem 'The Other Age' :
When will that age come
When a human
Will simply be called the human? (p.33)
Now the man is identified with his links to castes, sub-castes, languages, dialects, colour and race despite his oneness in attributes, needs, births, deaths, values and morals. The primeval face of human being is neglected by he modern society and it is the only cause of the rebel of Bhatnagar's poetry. His efforts in his poetry are 'For those / who are not able to make both ends meet' and 'life is not a bed of roses or a pleasant.' The poet is with the destitute and the helpless and writes :
For those who
Do not have leave
For leisure
Dance drama and literature
And all the exhibitions
And Television
Are just ironic. (p. 37)
He, at times, seems to be the spokesman of the masses as well the pioneers of the reformers who are firm in their determination to 'infuse confidence' and 'diffuse all misgivings of mankind'. Admitting his duties in present times he asserts :
We are determined
To elude deep rooted
Despondency and dejection
From every melancholy heart
And to rejuvenate it
With optimism (p. 121)
In the poem 'Realistic Ideal' his awareness and sense of objectivity mingled with sense of duty can be marked out :
We have delineated life and the living
Only objectively in letter and spirit.
Equality of man
Has always been our guiding principle,
Our dreams to see every man
Thriving excellently. (p. 117)
In the poem 'Attention' the poet commences with a sheer expressing the horrible image of the time when 'darkness and despondency', 'intense melancholy and utter Hopelessness' has ceased the entire universe. The poet invokes us and invites by saying :
Come
Let us sing songs of hope
To blight the blues
And snuff out gloom.
Surely darkness will die. (p. 113)
Though the mode of Bhatnagar is ironic, yet it is also that looks plain repertoire and at the same time unfolds lyres of suggestions and innuendos. The bulk of his poetry is political and protestial in nature. Like Borges, he narrates the national scene in true and sincere words, depicting the political, social, moral and artistic shortcomings of the age. Using irony as his weapon and paradoxes, imagery and parody as his tools, he expresses the predicament of the common man. 'Tomfoolery' exhibits the plight of a common man who is betrayed by the so called leaders to proclaim wrongly as architect of India's destiny :
See the coin phrase : secularism —
And the other of
Social justice.
Not only these
There are other cliches like
National integration
And constitutional propriety. (p. 95)
Politics has now become synonyms with dream pedlary and the poet is grieved to see the hollowness and vast — chasm between the promise and performance of a politician When such gang of swindlers who are the traitors of the nation are caught red handed, a picture of amazement stands straight before us :
But all have been nabbed
And brought to book :
The monks, the politicians
Cunning ministers, the preceptors et. al.
Amazement en masse!
A furry and not a fairy!
The masks have been shed
The true faces are revealed! (p. 91)
In such a Filthy atmosphere, the birth of a rebel voice is natural and the awakening makes the swindlers away :
Ah!
Whose catcall is it?
Eh
The public has awakened!
Let us buzz off! (p. 41)
The poet's own motivation to rebel is notable because he also believes in the unity of minds and ideals. His call to break the shackles of boundaries and the differences of language, dialect, colour, caste and creed is justified when he asks :
How long will he then
Continue to be differentiated?
After all how long will he
Bear hundreds of stings
Of the savage minds? (p. 33)
At another place he is determined to pluck the 'blood sucking, greedy, hungry and countless leeches' and ticks that are clinging to the body politic of the new born nation. He says :
Come let us pluck, twitch
And consign them to the blazing fire!
Let us, forth with, hold their
Eager, swollen lust
From diffusing abroad,
Lest it should consume everything! (p. 93)
One more striking feature of Bhatnagar is his blend rebellious and gloomy ideas in his delineation of nature. The poems 'Imperceptible', 'Gratefulness', 'Fascination', 'Untouched', 'One Sunday', 'Terror-struck', 'Emergency', 'Remain Watchful', 'Suddenly', 'Before the Rains', 'Inspiration : Son', 'Attention', 'Foggy Sky' and 'Charming Flowers' are fine instances of poet's artistic and meticulous approach to the dealing of Nature with a slight infusion of his gloom and rebellious ideas.
However the melody lying deeper in the entire social structure and in the human mind and the idiosyncrasies, desperation, hostility, cynicism, moral bankruptcy and intellectual depravity of man make the poet more and more theist and optimistic. His heart is always brimming with the gratitude and love. In the poem, 'Victory Ludorum', creating a paradox he shows the indifferent attitude of man towards the 'Dumb and Helpless' in the age of terror and moaning. In 'This Age' the poet ironically says :
The Guru-God, Allah's devotee
Celebrates
In the prayer house. (p. 69)
And on the other hand, in the poem 'Gratefulness' he feels extreme gratefulness of the Lord and says :
O, God!
I am grateful to you
Extremely
Grateful! (p. 65)
Actually, the philosophy of Bhatnagar is steeped in Indian soil. He is a man, truly humanist and lover of humanity at large. Dr. B.C.Dwivedi while writing on 'The New Horizon of Indian Humanism' selects two poets of Indian English Poetry, namely Mahendra Bhatnagar and D.C.Chambial whose poetry is an exhibition of Indian humanism. He says :
''Examples may be given of Indian Literature under the sway of modern poets like Mahendra Bhatnagar and D.C.Chambial whose poetry exhibits facets of Indian humanism from its core. In their vision and experience it is all the way a journey from the mundane to the cosmic with the sense of primacy of man changing its meaning in course of time.''2
On account of being ingrained and fostered and nourished in Indian School of Philosophy, Mahendra Bhatnagar is essentially hopeful, bright and optimistic in his poems. In the poem 'Actually',
he acknowledges the short span of man's life when he says :
Life has been spent
Learning life.
Vocal scares were lost
At soprano pitch
In learning the art of music. (p. 133)
Similarly in the poem, 'A Fact' Bhatnagar speaks the truth of life which is its transitoriness and ephemeral quality. In a jiffy every
thing ceases to exist but the outlook of the poet is different when he says :
But wait
Light will come
It will gush in
A new morrow. (p. 135)
This optimistic quality when widens its wings from nation to the globe, a collection called Poems : for a Better World takes birth from the mighty pen of the poets like Mahendra Bhatnagar. As long as the decadence in ethics, morals, principles, human values and Self-respect will continue, the poets like Mahendra Bhatnagar will never resist and nor bow down against such demons but will fight with his mighty pen and will be the true leaders, reformer and torch-bearers of the civilization. His poetry will soar and the sing hymns of the Non-violence, human values of Love, Peace, Truth, Righteousness and nonviolence in new millennium and establish new horizons in our Literature.
References :
1 Anita Myles, 'Mahendra Bhatnagar : A Poet of Optimism and Certitude', Points of View. Ed. K.K.Sharma, Vol. xii, No. 2, winter 2005, p. 151.
2 B.C.Dwivedi, 'New Horizon in Indian humanism ; A comment', Poetcrit. July 2005, p. 40
(1) TRANSLATION —
A CONJUNCTION
Translation
is not merely a change of language,
it is bridge :
between two minds
for making strangers familiar,
for stringing and tightening
the weak links of relationships
among the world's men.
It is a means of
cementing a firm friendship
in mutual interest.
Translation is a way of
surmounting the deep canyons
built among men
of distant nations;
of sitting together
with confidence
without any dilemma.
Translation is a means of communications
among millions of mankind.
Translation is not
a mere change of language
but is a successful conversion
into brilliant light of
deep darkness rife in and outside
the alien lands of living beings;
it is a means of
changing the unfamiliar into
a cohesive oneness
and of coming out from
narrow confines.
Translation expounds
civilization and tendencies;
it is a perfect symbol of
linguistic consciousness
and delineation of learning
in an explanatory form.
Translation is
a celestial body of
human sagacity
distinguished and significant.
Translation is not
merely a change of language,
it is a conjunction.
(2) IN THE CIRCLIP OF TERROR
Our country is in the grip of
a deep - rooted ful of conspiracy.
It's caught
in the snares of
clever and cunning gangs;
is stuck in the quagmire of
vile bigotry and despicable caste-ism.
It is grappling with
a menacing savagery.
A country
which cultivated interpersonal relations
and friends,
indulged in dreams and aspirations
is now enmeshed in
horrible terror.
Engaged in
cultivating newish culture vultures,
devoted to
peace and nonviolence,
this country is now
caught in tough mortification
and tortuous troubles.
(3) THE BIGOTS
In the modern world
what is this obsession
in the name of religion?
In the civilized states
gruesome
brutality prevails,
there is manslaughter
everywhere!
Rational men
hope for the best
and face the bigots.
Perverted religions
should be boldly ridiculed
(even in the likelihood of
widespread devastation.)
Man
is human
and not an animal.
Endow him with wisdom
he will understand,
amend himself
and shall stand altered.
(4) WISHFULNESS
How nice would it be
when
this world
would be inhabited by
only agnostics
but loving people!
There would then be
no temples
no mosques
no gurudwaras
no churches!
How astonishing would that be!
Who will kill whom?
Who will hate?
There would then be
only love
and diffidence!
All perfidious persons
would then belong to one brotherhood.
(5) IN 1986 A.D.
This man
shot dead
that one
with a bullet,
because
he
spoke
a different
language!
(6) INVOKING MODERN MEN
First
we think about
our house, our family,
then about our religion,
our caste, our state,
our language and our scipt.
Faiths : narrow
Convictions : circumscribed!
We,
for upholding
our such thinking
shed copious human blood,
riddle with bullets our neighbours;
we become savage, more fiendish
than the man eater carnivores;
we attain
extreamely horrifying stature
because we assume that,
that is the only channel for
becoming great and
for attaining martyrdom.
Generation after generation
this thought process
has become a part of our consciousness
and we can't be weaned away from it.
Again and again
our God incites us
to kill other's God
to destroy the symbols of their faiths
and thus feel that
paradise
is secure only for us.
History testifies
that we ignore our country
and the concept of world community
does not appeal to us.
On this earth
only we will live.
The followers of our religion,
people of our caste,
citizens of our state
those who speak our language
and know our script only
constitude our country
and form our universe.
Who will undo this brand name
and annihilate this polluted world?
Modern thinkers
come, draw near us
and for the sake of humanity
let us create our society
having no religion and no caste,
and eradicate geographical boundaries of nations,
consider different languages and scripts
as the accomplishments
of human intellect.
Modern men
now don't remain mute
and fence sitters!
(7) THE OTHER AGE
When will that age come
when a human
will simply be called the human?
How long will his identity
remain linked to a country, a religion
a caste and a sub-caste,
a language and a dialect,
colour and race?
When will the primeval face of the human
be presented graphically?
When will the human be addressed
as a human being?
His world is one,
his species is one,
his attributes are the same,
his needs are the same
his birth is the same,
his end is the same.
How long will he then
continue to be differentiated?
After all how long will he
bear hundreds of stings
of the savage mind?
Break
the artificial boundaries of the nations.
Break
The irrelevant, superficial, and orthodox
faiths.
Break
the divisive regimes
of castes and sub-castes,
the differences of
languages and dialects
are acquired,
but nature oriented
are the physical features,
colours and races
of various humans.
All these should not impede
coming together
of human beings
and should not become
wedges to hold them apart.
May a new seraph, a new prophet,
a new archangel
incarnate in the twenty first century
and establish
a sublime human religion!
Before reaching other worlds
Human identity
should become confirmative!
(8) THE DESTITUTES
For those who
are not able to make both ends meet
life is not a bed of roses
or a pleasant dream.
For them life is just a struggle,
a day and night drudgery,
a treadmill that grinds life
till its end.
For those bereft of fine potentials
of what significance
and use are culture and art?
Everything is worthless
for those lacking in skill.
Despite
ceaseless, life long toil
they remain despondent and melancholic.
For those who
do not have leave
for leisure,
dance, drama, literature
and all the exhibitions
and television
are just ironic.
They are mere foils
to our hollow and mean ego!
They first need
deliverance from abuse,
and then
gracious dignity,
respectful two meals a day,
security and education.
They need no
kindness, pity or alms
Neither from the State
nor from an individual.
(9) ATMOSPHERE
The so-called saviours of the nation :
the leaders, bureaucrats and contractors;
the grabbers of nation's wealth,
the standard bearer patriots!
Their stratagems galore
render the administration helpless
and the common man hapless.
These notorious swindlers
are wicked crooks
the condemnable rougues!
Ah!
Whose catcall is it?
Eh
The public has awakened!
Let us buzz of !
(10) CONFIDENT OF VICTORY
Our strife
will not lie in limbo,
it will not stop midway.
The struggle of
the diligent, able, fearless fighter
called the labourer,
will not stop
till the ultimate victory.
It will be fiercer
more predominant
in the world.
It will continue to spread
continuously.
It will never be crushed
by demonic suppression.
It will neither weaken nor slow down.
We are confident that
this battle against maltreatment
will not be impeded.
Eradicating every obstruction
our struggle will continue
ceaseless,
without fear,
without a halt.
(11) DICTUM
May equality
among humans
be set up,
the equality wanted and wished for
since ages!
May this world be cleansed of
sub-caste, castes, sects and religions!
There should be
no discrimination in and obstruction
to the unity among people.
Human recognition
should not be due to
the states and nations,
languages and dresses.
The human being
should only be known by his
body and mid,
sagacity bred of
experience and deep thinking.
May love germinate
among human beings,
the opiate, inflectious, loyal love!
Destroy
blind orthodoxy,
brutality of man towards man.
O, man
don't go astray now.
don't get bogged down in
imaginary deals of destiny,
and don't brook impediments!
Folly, mere folly,
ignorance profound!
Set free
life and man from it;
mankind be saved from
the wicked, spiteful
religious zealots!
May the hiatus
vanish once for all!
Let invincible and rare aptitude
be endowed upon
the oppressed!
Among the mankind
let there be prosperity,
economic equality,
all ronnd permeable social equity!
(12) FASCINATION
At the outset os spring
Honeybunch
do not be pompous!
Don't trust so much
the fascinating spring;
do not zoom
with song-cycle
from earth to the welkin blue.
The duration of its melody
is of a short span
and its pleasure is transient.
Don't remain so complacent
by trusting its fragrance
o, my mind!
Don't be carried away
by the strong waves of emotions
dear me!
This brief season will soon end
and you will not be able
to hold it for long.
This charming fragrance
of spring, is a thing
rippling,
soaring sky high
indolent and spoony,
twin ally of
languid, cool breeze!
It is a deep riddle insoluble,
try not to know it.
Be not enticed or mesmerized
by it unconsciously, even by mistake.
Don't get infatuated
or become loyal
just with the mere touch
of the spring month,
or its loving
sweet scent!
(13) IMPERCEPTIBLE / UNTOUCHED
O,
rollicking, soporific
winds of spring
don't touch me like that
touch me not!
Full with fondness
the Sawan's serenades echo;
neither stop nor pass this way
you winds of spring.
Rambling dazing winds of spring
don't swamp me
in the swelling, brimming
wells and pools
of emotional strains;
in the wells and pools of
sweet, carnal passions
don't touch me like that
touch me not!
O, winds of spring
you exciting, cheerful winds of spring
come not towards
this cursed area
out of bounds
since ever.
This helpless,
quiet and arid mind
is given over
since ever;
don't come this side
you winds of spring
o, fragrant, rustling winds of spring
don't touch me,
like that
touch me not!
in the lustful, pining wells and pools
don't soak me
like that
soak me not.
In these unrestrained limbed
lasciviously longing since ages,
wells and pools
don't thus
soak me,
soak me not!
O, winds of spring
you fidgety, profuse winds of spring
don't touch me
like that
touch ne not!
This area
is imperceptible, out of sight, untouched
since ever.
Don't come this side,
this is neglected, unseen, unknown
since ever!
(14) UNREQUITED BESTOWAL
Now,
what can I give you
except a carved
stationary statue;
except dispersed dust?
Whatever I am,
I have become
been cast.
Have used up
many a breath
from the assigned stock;
have attained fruition.
It is not possible now
to indulge in
experimental hewing, carving
what would be left incomplete,
the rest will remain unexpressed.
At the present stage of life
and its fag end
me, a rising and setting
sun,
what can I give you except
the warmth
of a known
cuddly feeling!
You are like
the deep sea on high tide;
your burning, sizzling
lusts are like
the infinite sky,
what can I give you
o, passion incarnate
except intense fancies and
an unassuaged excitement!
(15) ONE SUNDAY
The whole day
passed away in waiting,
waiting for all sorts of men.
No one unexpected came,
none unwanted too encountered.
The whole day passed away
moment by moment
this Sunday.
None brought any tiding
good or bad,
interesting or disheartening.
The whole day passed away
in cogitation,
in desiring to see
one or the other,
strolling to and fro
in the rooms.
Early in the morning
only
came the newspaper,
the milk vendor
rang the door bell
rang the door bell
in the morsning and the evening
as his wont.
Otherwise
not a leaf rustled,
even a bird did not fly
over the sky
around me.
the whole day passed away
as a long wait
in mute helplessness!
(16) GRATEFULNESS
O, my mind
quit
this place!
Whom to wait for here
more now,
o, my mind!
The day has declined,
it is evening,
Deep darkness
is surrounding
on four sides!
My mind
accept wholeheartedly
this solitariness
with pleasure,
O, my mind!
O, God!
I am grateful to you
extremely
grateful!
(17) INCOMPLETE
Something remains
un-said!
Shall I add an appendix
or hold back?
Something unendurable
persists!
(18) VICTOR LUDORUM
Terror : mourning
riddled / blood soaked
dead bodies of the innocent
are lying on the heath and the fields;
mutilated bodies
lie scattered
on the roads.
Hapless
mother, wife, sisters, daughters
father, brothers, friends, neighbours
controlling emotions
holding anger
stand downcast
dumb and helpless.
The Guru - God, Allah's devotee
celebrates
in the prayer house.
(19) TERROR STRUCK
Panic : profound silence.
stillness all around!
Terrified dogs,
frightened birds
are all mute.
It seems
the brutal barbarians
have again killed innocent people
rapaciously,
have mercilessly done to death
nightly.
Deafening the silence
the religious slogan has again
echoed!
Danger,
deadly danger prevails!
By the end of night
horrified dogs will howl
terrified birds will shriek!
But we
bearing the ache of brutalized age
will haul the debris of history.
(20) SOMEONE UNKNOWN
One man, hunched, gloomy
wreathing in pain,
leading a devastated life,
has passed away.
One man, hunchbacked, distressed,
injured and blood smeared,
crying seeking shelter
has just now passed away.
(21) TO THE HAWKER
Ah, what
day after day
you deliver
blood smeared newspaper
at my door!
Saturated with
horrid happenings
in every colomn
the marks of indiscriminate firing
appear apparent
on every page.
Awe strikes
while touching, reading
the newspaper
emitting flames
exuding malevolence
it seems stinging!
Although I go to bed
every night after hearing the news
that nothing untoward has happened,
the situation is tense
but is under control.
(22) SELF DESTRUCTION
We ourselves
are undoing ourselves.
How strange
that we do not feel the pain
because
a parochial, uncivil, barbaric
mania of religion
controls
our heart and mind.
We are bursting hand grenades on ourselves.
in a fit of madness
we are mining our own houses
and igniting them
to maim our own people.
We ourselves
are discarding human attributes,
have dehumanized ourselves
and roar
to annihilate
our own clan!
(23) PEOPLE
People are following
their flock,
They know not
their aim,
are ignorant,
completely deprived.
They rove or
move around
their hovels!
The noise
that rumbles
here, there :
has any man-eater
arrived?
There is apprehension
in the jungles of pine today!
(24) EMERGENCY
The storm
has not yet subsided,
much havoc
has been wrought,
destruction is still continuing.
The ominous night
is not yet over.
Be vigilant
about every footfall.
Remain alert!
One cannot be sure
when somebody might knock
at the door to seek refuge!
Throwing out venom
snarling
like a stricken snake
the hurricane
will die down ultimately.
Consuming every thing
the dense dark night
will also vanish.
Every moment
awaits a fine morning
for existence!
(25) REMAIN WATCHFUL
Remain awake
till it is morning the world over!
Fear frowns everywhere,
hurt humanity is wailing,
bear the brunt
till organized protests ensue!
Let every man be free from confinement,
contend against the tide,
till the flaring up of
the victory war of masses.
Fight death, feel not tired,
march unto the end, stop not
till the tormenters cower and crumble!
(26) WHOLE WORLD A FAMILY
In today's progressive and civilzed new world
segregating man from man
on the basis of
castes, households, creed or wealth;
calling one the low
and the other high
calling one our own
another one other's
is a serious crime
an unpardonable crime.
Such individual or a society
who believe in creating a wedge
between man and man
or
want to perpetuate poverty
will have to be annihilated.
The end result of
the centuries old struggle
and common thinking
is that :
we will have one caste - human
our family is one - human love
descending from Manu-Shraddha
our creed is one - humanity
our community is one - toil.
The difference of colour and features
is variegated nature's versatility.
We are amazed at it.
We are proud of it.
Long ago in the hoary past
distances and the lack of communications
made us speak in different tongues
and have different alphbetical sings.
But today
with the grace of science
we have changed these distances
into neighbourhoodsThe restraints of language and letters
have been eliminated
with mutual interaction.
The sanguine spate of desire for love
has broken the barriers and bars
which divide us
in different castes, families, creed and sects.
(27) CORRUPTION
Corruption is rampant
and is rife like weeds
overgrown everywhere.
It has bedraggled
and drowned the country every moment
in the deep depths of depravity.
It has given
a cruel and crude treatment
to the precious lives of
millions of people.
It is a forbidden
and an ignoble deed
a blemished
and a fraudulent conduct.
(28) UNMASKED
A gang of swindlers
is having
a wild spree.
May you prosper
in air conditioned mansions!
Singing songs of triumph
raving with abandon ride
a Ferris wheel!
May you succeed in life,
every tangle be resolved!
Wealth is everything,
it is omnipotence;
the thugs appreciate the lustre of riches,
they know the unlimited and
incomprehensible significance
of wealth.
But all have been nabbed
and brought to book :
The monks, the politicians
cunning ministers, the preceptors et.al.
Amazemen en masse!
A Fury and not a Fairy!
The masks have been shed
the true faces are revealed!
(29) THE MACABRE LEECHES AND TICKS
The blood sucking, greedy,
hungry, countless leeches and ticks
are clinging to
the body politic of the new born nation.
Come, let us pluck, twitch
and consign them to the blazing fire!
Let us, forthwith, hold their
eager, swollen lust
from diffusing abroad,
lest it should consume everything!
The country's new fabric
should not disintegrate.
The selfish parasites
might not gulp down
the developing nation's opulence!
(30) TOMFOOLERY
You too
served banalities to us.
Alas!
We have been taken for a ride this time also!
for instance,
see the coined phrase : secularism -
and the other of
Social justice.
Not only these
there are other cliché like
national integration / and constitutional propriety
which this time too
you flaunted like the
tantrums of a clown
and made away!
Being the proclaimed
architect of India's destiny,
we had expected from you
some value added fruitage
but what a mess you have made!
What a tomfoolery
and a gloomy mishmash!
What sort of democratic rigmarole is it?
It is an affront and a rebuff
to the public!
(31) TRICKERY OF VOTES
Meandering through
the lanes and alleys,
ghettos and slums
of the down trodden
treading on the pock-marked, uneven,
raising loud and sky rending slogans,
a grand procession of the oppressed
is advancing.
They are not chartered,
aping, throat croaking sloganeers.
They are real, all factual,
corpulent, robust,
paunchy, roly poly,
sand boy intimidators
donning expensive sloughs.
All are watching the pranks
of the raggle-taggle, tonsured
dark, black urchins
of the Dalits wearing
soiled and torn
briefs and vests.
And standing outside their shanties
the veiled women
of the oppressed
make a striking scene.
Single-minded they are watching
the gradually advancing
grand procession of the oppressed.
Saviour of the poor
promoting their concerns
and hailing them,
shooting photos, gulping juice
the procession proceeds.
Tomorrow the public will watch
on the T.V. monitors
the same, the very same
fine procession of the Dalits.
But it is regretted
that not a single soul
of the Dalits is among them
and none of them expresses
the voice of the underdogs!
(32) SUDDENLY
Your memory flashed up today
and titillated my mind,
after ages,
many years.
Your company
was a palpable fact,
your hand a handy armour.
Every thing is lost in the past
frequent infatuation persists.
Ages have gone by
slowly, gradually,
nursing dreams every night,
but those sweet kaleidoscopic pictures
have been the inspiration of life.
(33) WELCOME
The blooming orchid in my yard
strews a multi-shaded grandeur sweet.
Her soft and silky tangled tresses
have a perfect shiny gloss.
She has snugness in her arms
and an insight in her eyes.
Naively she squeaks like a sparrow
and warbles dulcet notes.
Lanky and fresh
as if dangling from a tree twig
she feels bestowed upon the riches divine
and seems gloating over all her lot.
She appears thoroughly satisfied
adorned as she s with trinkets fine.
The orchid is blooming
the beauteous blossom in my yard.
(To my grand-daughter baby Ira)
(34) BEFORE THE RAINS
A dense black cloud,
a sable cloud
has overcast the sky today.
After months of heat
intense, searing, ceaseless heat,
lulled by air
the humid tortuous weather
has turned pleasant.
Some one, it seems
has laid on the human body
the silky sheet of gray cloud.
Its lustre lures.
The cloud enamours
the black cloud
enchants!
(35) ASPIRATION : SUN
(1)
May every person be a sun
full of energy
and pure as heat!
May every person blaze like the sun,
be a flame
impartial and unblemished!
(2)
May every person be like the sun
bright,
punctual and
a plume of light!
Wherever he may go
let every particle shine,
uproot dilemma and gloom
from the room!
(3)
May every person be like the sun
radiant,
full of warmth,
and resplendent!
May every person seem
shining like the sun!
(36) A TRUTH
Bondage
flares up as a challenge,
as an unwelcome,
undesirable yoke,
continuously incites
rebellion, use of force, a resistance,
conflagration and anger.
Bondage
develops as consummation of love,
attachment,
and induces
fondness, lasting commitment,
a willing submission,
alacrity and an urge.
(37) TERROR AND ANXIETY
Extreme constriction
has palsied lips,
hands and feet have been immobilized,
angst reigns,
humanity seethes with anger.
Holocaust haunts around,
Terrorism looms large everywhere.
This callous climate has to be changed.
To save mankind
every one has to be alert.
The inflammation is immense
the heat is rigorous.
Every horizon is obscure
and is shrouded with smoke.
The fire is intense,
its flames are flaring,
rippling sky high.
It must be doused.
(38) ATTENTION
Darkness and despondency pervade!
Intense melancholy!
Utter hopelessness
has seized the entire universe,
and bogged it down
completely ..
But don't be alarmed!
Overwhelmed, don't be diffident
even for a moment.
Do not relax
for it is certain
eftsoons
light will prevail.
Come
let us sing songs of hope
to blight the blues
and snuff out gloom.
Surely darkness will die!
(39) GREETINGS
May the ultimate year of this bloody century
be the year of the worship of Shakti
(the goddess of gallantry)
of devotion and prayer!
May the coming century
be the period of mankind's certain triumph
over savagery!
May the flush of accomplishments
be flashed on every face!
May the human race
be weaned away from wickedness,
animalism, ferocity and tyranny!
May the arrogance vanish,
and the milk of human kindness
suffuse the human heart!
May every person discard vileness,
have mutual love and fellow feelings
and be an intellectualist!
May pure human consciousness
be the main aim of every soul!
May the new year be full of
graces great!
(40) REALISTIC IDEAL
We have delineated life and the living
only objectively in letter and spirit.
Equality of man
has always been our guiding principle,
our dream to see every man
thriving excellently.
We are resolved to rid society of abuse.
We are determined to transform
the world into a paradise.
We have modern bent of mind
to create history,
to make the new age most developed
and superb all over.
(41) DETERMINE
Shiny, glowing
torches we are.
Lofty
glowing lights are we.
We are the lighthouses
flashing permeative glares.
We are the lodestars.
Calm and composed,
firmly resolved
we are :
to shatter
the intence, painful
all pervading gloom and
to scatter
over whelming lustrous brilliance
all over, everywhere.
Our radiant aura
infuses confidence
and defuses
all misgivings of mankind
lock, stock and barrel,
eliminates every nagging doubt,
and in a jiffy
suffuses pleasure all around,
removing all hurdles.
We are determined
to elute deep rooted
despondency and dejection
from every melancholy heart
and to rejuvensce it
with optimism.
(42) SPRING AIR
Smooching my body
blew the sensuous,
capriciously cuddly breeze.
Never I had felt it
so pleasing ever before.
Blowing my mind
blew the indolent air
captivatingly.
Never I had felt it
so pleasing ever before.
Fully familial
pulsating with love
the beguiler got beguiled.
Clinging and clasping,
rocking on the arms,
swinging and swaying,
elated,
swished the clothes
ruffled the hair,
tingled the limbs
and God knows
how flippantly
hallucinating it had been!
(43) FOGGY SKY
Foggy and smoggy
lies the sky!
It is late in the day
yet the sky is lolling lazily,
simply snoozy
it betrays no stimulus.
Feigning excessive cold
it drools like a dunce!
Warm midday now holds sway
but the sky seems dusky.
Far off in the horizon
even the smog seems sulky
eftsoons it will wane!
(44) YOU
Whenever you smile
you look more pleasing!
Why do you smile
over trifles?
Whenever you face the mirror
beau ideal
for make up
to put a bright moony dot
between your bow like eye-brows
on your hair free bright brow
you gloat
and look more pleasing!
Far away from the town then
lost in the memory of some one
when you float the lamps in the river
you look more pleasing,
gracile enchantress
you look more pleasing!
Time and again
when you hum
dulcet poignant tunes
of lovelorn songs
or sing sweet hymns,
you look more pleasing!
(45) CHARMING FLOWERS
These flowers have perfumed
my entire dwelling thoroughly
and have suddenly taken away
the loneliness of a listless life.
Let these flwers bloom
and sway on their stalks
and imbue my frail body
and dismal mind emotionally.
These flowers
have permeated the whole world
with a sweet smell
and have made it resplendent
with their spectral hues.
Let these flowers bloom
and rock on their stalks
to have a pleasant crush
with the world's people
hilariously, clingingly.
These flowers have made
this terrified terra firma
delightful,
yes, have filled it
with romances galore.
Let these flowers bloom
from hill to hill, over all deserts,
in all jungles
myriad habitats,
every home
everywhere.
(46) ACTUALLY
While observing caution
Time flew fast.
Every thing tidied
went awry.
All that was in hand
slipped away suddenly
at every cautious step.
Every strand tore away
while sorting out
or got twisted tediously.
Every thread
became taut in the process
gradually at every step
of seeking solution.
Life has been spent
learning life.
Vocal scores were lost
at soprano pitch
in learning the art of music.
(47) A Fact
As life began
the end followed,
just when it dawned
darkness prevailed.
In the sky
with ceaseless diffusion
the rays vanished,
so that far and wide
an endless stream
of bright light
was visible no more.
Here, there, everywhere
there was a loud noise.
Till every limit of the horizon a
crimson morning had shone.
The lyric, the song
the love, the beloved,
had all ceased to exist.
But wait
light will come
it will gush in
a new morrow.
(48) WELCOME :
TWENTY FIRST CENTURY
May the coming century
imbue
the human mind
with the fresh rays of
tutelary genius!
Rising above
the blind faiths,
trite beliefs;
renouncing fanatic,
puerile and primitive creeds
may every man
be the ardent follower of
a nouvelle culture!
May the whole world
be well versed in a
thoroughly propounded
universal religion!
May it discard
hollow traditional ideology,
rotten slough, fatal,
decaying fungivorous dungaree
so that only truth
may shine!
During the ensuing hundred years
may kindness, affection and compassion
rule the roost!
May the sanctified, refined and
cooling waters of piety douse
the mind and body of
the mankind inflicted by intense
hatred and violence.
May the earth be
suffused with
lofty feelings, fine emotions
and be managed
under standardized and judicious plans!
May barbarism
cruelty, rancour, and restlessness
be vanished!
All may become
good and tolerant
and become Godlike protectors.
(49) A WELCOME MOMENT
Waving the benign pennant,
the gracious emblem
of pious intentions
the new century
the twenty first century
has begun
on the earth.
Very graceful,
flying like a fairy
flaunting white raiments
of a new era,
for establishing
peace and prosperity,
promising beatitude,
has set in
the new century
the twenty first century.
To materialize
man's long cherished
dreams on the earth;
to imprint
his greatest creations
on humanity
the new century
the twenty first century
has arrived.
We welcome it
with dedication
whole heartily!
(50) THE PLEASURE OF TRIUMPH
I had wished
to flourish
till the beginning of
the new century!
I had wished
the throbbing pulse
not to stop
till the beginning of
the gay and glorious
new century!
Fulfillment of
this wish is
astonishing.
Human faith
is indeed
very efficacious
and wonderously potent.
I had wished
to live till
the advent of the new century.
At last
it has come
the reveling new century.
In fact
the rollicking new century
has set in!
Death stands vanquished.
Life is triumphant.
My penance is fruitful
and my soul will now
don the new raiment
at its own convenience!
Contact :
DR. MAHENDRA BHATNAGAR
110 BalwantNagar, Gandhi Road,
Gwalior — 474 002 (M.P.) INDIA
Phone : 0751-4092908
M - 098934 09793
E-Mail : drmahendrabh@rediffmail.com
POET : DR. MAHENDRA BHATNAGAR
Dr. Mahendra Bhatnagar’s is one of the significant post-independence voices in Hindi and Indian English Poetry, expressing the lyricism and pathos, aspirations and yearnings of the modern Indian intellect. Rooted deep into the Indian soil, his poems reflect not only the moods of a poet but of a complex age.
Born : 26 June 1926: Jhansi (U.P.), Edu. : M.A. (1948), Ph.D. (1957) from Nagpur University; Retd. Professor.
Several volumes of poetry in English and other languages are published, viz. In French ‘A MODERN INDIAN POET : Dr. Mahendra Bhatnagar : UN POÈTE INDIEN ET MODERNE; In English Forty Poems of Mahendra Bhatnagar After The Forty Poems Exuberance and other poems Dr.Mahendra Bhatnagar’s Poetry Death Perception : Life Perception Passion and Compassion Poems : For A Better World A Handful of Light Lyric-Lute. etc. Poems are translated in most of the Indian languages.
Published research & critical studies :
(1) Living Through Challenges : A Study of Dr. Mahendra Bhatnagar’s Poetry
(2) Poet Dr. Mahendra Bhatnagar : His Mind And Art.
Adviser — ‘POETCRIT’. At present — Reasearch Guide in many Indian Universities.
Contact :
110 BalwantNagar, Gandhi Road,
Gwalior — 474 002 (M.P.) INDIA
Phone : 0751-4092908 / M - 098934 09793
E-Mail : drmahendrabh@rediffmail.com
Hope Turning Pearls : The Vision of New and Better World in the Poetry of Mahendra Bhatnagar
— Dr. Shaleen Kumar Singh
Mahendra Bhatnagar, a well-established name of optimistic and humanistic poetry, with his mammoth published works has emerged before us as an icon of protest and sensitive poetry which not only infuses an understanding and an eye of glancing the reality of things but also motivates us to stand affront and speak against such eccentricities and leads us to think and rethink over it time and again. Neither has he wished us to be Messiah, nor God incarnate nor anyone castigating the masses. He regards 'Poetry as the vehicle for locating a man in the matrix of existence in the society' which is largely woven with the warp and woof mainly political social absurdities of time. Mahendra Bhatnagar is a realist essentially and favours simple and unpretentious style, though his poetry is conversational sometimes in tone, implying all its gazettes, is a dialogue and his (previous collections) in Hindi mostly which are written in metre and rhyme, yet the present collection in unmetrical and unrhymed verse, points towards his profound understanding of burning questions of contemporary time.
The present collection is a portrayal of the tragedies of modern times where he sometimes considers translations as a bridge between two minds' for making a stranger familiar, sometimes castigates the 'so-called saviors of the nation'; the leaders, bureaucrats and contractors and sometimes with his brimming optimism appears to be singing the welcome song of 21st century as well as praying for the global unity, harmony and peace. His poems are not only philosophical, realistic, spontaneous, romantic, optimist- ice, natural and mystic but also depict the most essential theme of modern times; the theme of global peace which now appears to be in peril because the monsters of terrorism have slain the We feeling among the mankind and put a more detestable picture of the world. In the first poem of the collection 'Translation : A Conjunction', the poet feels that translation of literature should be encouraged so that we may bridge the gaps of cultural, ethical and linguistic diversities. He says :
Translation is
A celestial body of
Human sagacity
Distinguished and significant. (p. 17)
But do we ever think why the poet took such themes as the main subject of his poetry. It is certainly the complex and paradoxical scenario of the present in which we boast of our achievement of reaching to the moon but fail to reach to the heart of the proliterate and the common man. The hearts are broken, panic-stricken and even painful. Our advancement in science and technology has gratified us with the innumerable boons of Computer, Electricity, Air-Plains, and Rockets and so on, yet it has also given birth to the lethal concepts of capitalism, existentialism, utilitarianism and individualism on the other. The more we have broadened our limits of thinking, the more we have shrunk in our attitude. The degeneration, hoarding, shooting graph of crimes, socio political dilemmas mental conflicts, injustice, inequalities and corruption of all kinds can hardly afford the poet in Bhatnagar to be quiet and agape. In the poem 'Vasudhev Kutumbkm', 'Whole World A Family' begins with the castigation of a man who creates a wedge between man and man :
In today's progressive and civilized world
Segregation man from man
On the basis of
Castes, households, creeds or wealth;
Calling one the low
And the other high
Calling one our own
Another one other's
Is a serious crime
An unpardonable crime. (p. 85)
Man has been shattered absolutely. He is in the grip of terror, dumb or helpless and is controlling his emotions. A horrible image of terror can be seen here :
Extreme constrictions
Has palsied lips
Hands and feet have been immobilized
Angst reigns
Humanity seethes with anger
Holocaust looms large everywhere. (p. 111)
A large number of the poems of the collection deal with the social problems of Modern Indian society like 'The Bigots' on communalism, 'In 1996 A.D.' on Linguism, 'The Destitute' on Poetry, 'Atmosphere', 'Trickery of Votes' on Political hollowness, 'One Sunday' on boredom, 'Terror-struck' on Terrorism, 'Self-Destruction' on Dehumanization and 'Corruption' on Corruption. Rest of other poems are either an urge to rebuild our society or to revive our ancient morals or to re-communicate with modern man so that our progeny may dream for a happy social set-up and enhance our mental, ethical, moral and cultural status to an optimum level. Many poems of the collection inspire man to act and to live life in all its totality without panic and hesitation and advises the man not to be fatalist, frustrated and dismay. Anita Myles recognizes this trait of the poet and observes :
'' He does not believe in destiny and that man is mere a puppet in the power and ever tightening grip of destiny yet he encourages one to live on with grief, fortitude and determination.''1
He considers Man as Man and limitations of man as well. He says :
Man
Is human
And not an animal. (p. 21)
But he suggests further :
Endow him with wisdom
He will understand,
Amend himself
And shall stand altered. (ibid)
And invokes the Modern Man and Thinkers in 'Invoking Modern Man' to make their own societies by saying :
Modern thinkers
Come, draw near us
And for the sake of humanity
Let us create our society. (Ibid)
This dreamy society of the poet will be : 'having no religion and no caste' or 'geographical boundaries of the nation.' At a place the poet is so perplex that he questions in the beginning of the poem 'The Other Age' :
When will that age come
When a human
Will simply be called the human? (p.33)
Now the man is identified with his links to castes, sub-castes, languages, dialects, colour and race despite his oneness in attributes, needs, births, deaths, values and morals. The primeval face of human being is neglected by he modern society and it is the only cause of the rebel of Bhatnagar's poetry. His efforts in his poetry are 'For those / who are not able to make both ends meet' and 'life is not a bed of roses or a pleasant.' The poet is with the destitute and the helpless and writes :
For those who
Do not have leave
For leisure
Dance drama and literature
And all the exhibitions
And Television
Are just ironic. (p. 37)
He, at times, seems to be the spokesman of the masses as well the pioneers of the reformers who are firm in their determination to 'infuse confidence' and 'diffuse all misgivings of mankind'. Admitting his duties in present times he asserts :
We are determined
To elude deep rooted
Despondency and dejection
From every melancholy heart
And to rejuvenate it
With optimism (p. 121)
In the poem 'Realistic Ideal' his awareness and sense of objectivity mingled with sense of duty can be marked out :
We have delineated life and the living
Only objectively in letter and spirit.
Equality of man
Has always been our guiding principle,
Our dreams to see every man
Thriving excellently. (p. 117)
In the poem 'Attention' the poet commences with a sheer expressing the horrible image of the time when 'darkness and despondency', 'intense melancholy and utter Hopelessness' has ceased the entire universe. The poet invokes us and invites by saying :
Come
Let us sing songs of hope
To blight the blues
And snuff out gloom.
Surely darkness will die. (p. 113)
Though the mode of Bhatnagar is ironic, yet it is also that looks plain repertoire and at the same time unfolds lyres of suggestions and innuendos. The bulk of his poetry is political and protestial in nature. Like Borges, he narrates the national scene in true and sincere words, depicting the political, social, moral and artistic shortcomings of the age. Using irony as his weapon and paradoxes, imagery and parody as his tools, he expresses the predicament of the common man. 'Tomfoolery' exhibits the plight of a common man who is betrayed by the so called leaders to proclaim wrongly as architect of India's destiny :
See the coin phrase : secularism —
And the other of
Social justice.
Not only these
There are other cliches like
National integration
And constitutional propriety. (p. 95)
Politics has now become synonyms with dream pedlary and the poet is grieved to see the hollowness and vast — chasm between the promise and performance of a politician When such gang of swindlers who are the traitors of the nation are caught red handed, a picture of amazement stands straight before us :
But all have been nabbed
And brought to book :
The monks, the politicians
Cunning ministers, the preceptors et. al.
Amazement en masse!
A furry and not a fairy!
The masks have been shed
The true faces are revealed! (p. 91)
In such a Filthy atmosphere, the birth of a rebel voice is natural and the awakening makes the swindlers away :
Ah!
Whose catcall is it?
Eh
The public has awakened!
Let us buzz off! (p. 41)
The poet's own motivation to rebel is notable because he also believes in the unity of minds and ideals. His call to break the shackles of boundaries and the differences of language, dialect, colour, caste and creed is justified when he asks :
How long will he then
Continue to be differentiated?
After all how long will he
Bear hundreds of stings
Of the savage minds? (p. 33)
At another place he is determined to pluck the 'blood sucking, greedy, hungry and countless leeches' and ticks that are clinging to the body politic of the new born nation. He says :
Come let us pluck, twitch
And consign them to the blazing fire!
Let us, forth with, hold their
Eager, swollen lust
From diffusing abroad,
Lest it should consume everything! (p. 93)
One more striking feature of Bhatnagar is his blend rebellious and gloomy ideas in his delineation of nature. The poems 'Imperceptible', 'Gratefulness', 'Fascination', 'Untouched', 'One Sunday', 'Terror-struck', 'Emergency', 'Remain Watchful', 'Suddenly', 'Before the Rains', 'Inspiration : Son', 'Attention', 'Foggy Sky' and 'Charming Flowers' are fine instances of poet's artistic and meticulous approach to the dealing of Nature with a slight infusion of his gloom and rebellious ideas.
However the melody lying deeper in the entire social structure and in the human mind and the idiosyncrasies, desperation, hostility, cynicism, moral bankruptcy and intellectual depravity of man make the poet more and more theist and optimistic. His heart is always brimming with the gratitude and love. In the poem, 'Victory Ludorum', creating a paradox he shows the indifferent attitude of man towards the 'Dumb and Helpless' in the age of terror and moaning. In 'This Age' the poet ironically says :
The Guru-God, Allah's devotee
Celebrates
In the prayer house. (p. 69)
And on the other hand, in the poem 'Gratefulness' he feels extreme gratefulness of the Lord and says :
O, God!
I am grateful to you
Extremely
Grateful! (p. 65)
Actually, the philosophy of Bhatnagar is steeped in Indian soil. He is a man, truly humanist and lover of humanity at large. Dr. B.C.Dwivedi while writing on 'The New Horizon of Indian Humanism' selects two poets of Indian English Poetry, namely Mahendra Bhatnagar and D.C.Chambial whose poetry is an exhibition of Indian humanism. He says :
''Examples may be given of Indian Literature under the sway of modern poets like Mahendra Bhatnagar and D.C.Chambial whose poetry exhibits facets of Indian humanism from its core. In their vision and experience it is all the way a journey from the mundane to the cosmic with the sense of primacy of man changing its meaning in course of time.''2
On account of being ingrained and fostered and nourished in Indian School of Philosophy, Mahendra Bhatnagar is essentially hopeful, bright and optimistic in his poems. In the poem 'Actually',
he acknowledges the short span of man's life when he says :
Life has been spent
Learning life.
Vocal scares were lost
At soprano pitch
In learning the art of music. (p. 133)
Similarly in the poem, 'A Fact' Bhatnagar speaks the truth of life which is its transitoriness and ephemeral quality. In a jiffy every
thing ceases to exist but the outlook of the poet is different when he says :
But wait
Light will come
It will gush in
A new morrow. (p. 135)
This optimistic quality when widens its wings from nation to the globe, a collection called Poems : for a Better World takes birth from the mighty pen of the poets like Mahendra Bhatnagar. As long as the decadence in ethics, morals, principles, human values and Self-respect will continue, the poets like Mahendra Bhatnagar will never resist and nor bow down against such demons but will fight with his mighty pen and will be the true leaders, reformer and torch-bearers of the civilization. His poetry will soar and the sing hymns of the Non-violence, human values of Love, Peace, Truth, Righteousness and nonviolence in new millennium and establish new horizons in our Literature.
References :
1 Anita Myles, 'Mahendra Bhatnagar : A Poet of Optimism and Certitude', Points of View. Ed. K.K.Sharma, Vol. xii, No. 2, winter 2005, p. 151.
2 B.C.Dwivedi, 'New Horizon in Indian humanism ; A comment', Poetcrit. July 2005, p. 40
(1) TRANSLATION —
A CONJUNCTION
Translation
is not merely a change of language,
it is bridge :
between two minds
for making strangers familiar,
for stringing and tightening
the weak links of relationships
among the world's men.
It is a means of
cementing a firm friendship
in mutual interest.
Translation is a way of
surmounting the deep canyons
built among men
of distant nations;
of sitting together
with confidence
without any dilemma.
Translation is a means of communications
among millions of mankind.
Translation is not
a mere change of language
but is a successful conversion
into brilliant light of
deep darkness rife in and outside
the alien lands of living beings;
it is a means of
changing the unfamiliar into
a cohesive oneness
and of coming out from
narrow confines.
Translation expounds
civilization and tendencies;
it is a perfect symbol of
linguistic consciousness
and delineation of learning
in an explanatory form.
Translation is
a celestial body of
human sagacity
distinguished and significant.
Translation is not
merely a change of language,
it is a conjunction.
(2) IN THE CIRCLIP OF TERROR
Our country is in the grip of
a deep - rooted ful of conspiracy.
It's caught
in the snares of
clever and cunning gangs;
is stuck in the quagmire of
vile bigotry and despicable caste-ism.
It is grappling with
a menacing savagery.
A country
which cultivated interpersonal relations
and friends,
indulged in dreams and aspirations
is now enmeshed in
horrible terror.
Engaged in
cultivating newish culture vultures,
devoted to
peace and nonviolence,
this country is now
caught in tough mortification
and tortuous troubles.
(3) THE BIGOTS
In the modern world
what is this obsession
in the name of religion?
In the civilized states
gruesome
brutality prevails,
there is manslaughter
everywhere!
Rational men
hope for the best
and face the bigots.
Perverted religions
should be boldly ridiculed
(even in the likelihood of
widespread devastation.)
Man
is human
and not an animal.
Endow him with wisdom
he will understand,
amend himself
and shall stand altered.
(4) WISHFULNESS
How nice would it be
when
this world
would be inhabited by
only agnostics
but loving people!
There would then be
no temples
no mosques
no gurudwaras
no churches!
How astonishing would that be!
Who will kill whom?
Who will hate?
There would then be
only love
and diffidence!
All perfidious persons
would then belong to one brotherhood.
(5) IN 1986 A.D.
This man
shot dead
that one
with a bullet,
because
he
spoke
a different
language!
(6) INVOKING MODERN MEN
First
we think about
our house, our family,
then about our religion,
our caste, our state,
our language and our scipt.
Faiths : narrow
Convictions : circumscribed!
We,
for upholding
our such thinking
shed copious human blood,
riddle with bullets our neighbours;
we become savage, more fiendish
than the man eater carnivores;
we attain
extreamely horrifying stature
because we assume that,
that is the only channel for
becoming great and
for attaining martyrdom.
Generation after generation
this thought process
has become a part of our consciousness
and we can't be weaned away from it.
Again and again
our God incites us
to kill other's God
to destroy the symbols of their faiths
and thus feel that
paradise
is secure only for us.
History testifies
that we ignore our country
and the concept of world community
does not appeal to us.
On this earth
only we will live.
The followers of our religion,
people of our caste,
citizens of our state
those who speak our language
and know our script only
constitude our country
and form our universe.
Who will undo this brand name
and annihilate this polluted world?
Modern thinkers
come, draw near us
and for the sake of humanity
let us create our society
having no religion and no caste,
and eradicate geographical boundaries of nations,
consider different languages and scripts
as the accomplishments
of human intellect.
Modern men
now don't remain mute
and fence sitters!
(7) THE OTHER AGE
When will that age come
when a human
will simply be called the human?
How long will his identity
remain linked to a country, a religion
a caste and a sub-caste,
a language and a dialect,
colour and race?
When will the primeval face of the human
be presented graphically?
When will the human be addressed
as a human being?
His world is one,
his species is one,
his attributes are the same,
his needs are the same
his birth is the same,
his end is the same.
How long will he then
continue to be differentiated?
After all how long will he
bear hundreds of stings
of the savage mind?
Break
the artificial boundaries of the nations.
Break
The irrelevant, superficial, and orthodox
faiths.
Break
the divisive regimes
of castes and sub-castes,
the differences of
languages and dialects
are acquired,
but nature oriented
are the physical features,
colours and races
of various humans.
All these should not impede
coming together
of human beings
and should not become
wedges to hold them apart.
May a new seraph, a new prophet,
a new archangel
incarnate in the twenty first century
and establish
a sublime human religion!
Before reaching other worlds
Human identity
should become confirmative!
(8) THE DESTITUTES
For those who
are not able to make both ends meet
life is not a bed of roses
or a pleasant dream.
For them life is just a struggle,
a day and night drudgery,
a treadmill that grinds life
till its end.
For those bereft of fine potentials
of what significance
and use are culture and art?
Everything is worthless
for those lacking in skill.
Despite
ceaseless, life long toil
they remain despondent and melancholic.
For those who
do not have leave
for leisure,
dance, drama, literature
and all the exhibitions
and television
are just ironic.
They are mere foils
to our hollow and mean ego!
They first need
deliverance from abuse,
and then
gracious dignity,
respectful two meals a day,
security and education.
They need no
kindness, pity or alms
Neither from the State
nor from an individual.
(9) ATMOSPHERE
The so-called saviours of the nation :
the leaders, bureaucrats and contractors;
the grabbers of nation's wealth,
the standard bearer patriots!
Their stratagems galore
render the administration helpless
and the common man hapless.
These notorious swindlers
are wicked crooks
the condemnable rougues!
Ah!
Whose catcall is it?
Eh
The public has awakened!
Let us buzz of !
(10) CONFIDENT OF VICTORY
Our strife
will not lie in limbo,
it will not stop midway.
The struggle of
the diligent, able, fearless fighter
called the labourer,
will not stop
till the ultimate victory.
It will be fiercer
more predominant
in the world.
It will continue to spread
continuously.
It will never be crushed
by demonic suppression.
It will neither weaken nor slow down.
We are confident that
this battle against maltreatment
will not be impeded.
Eradicating every obstruction
our struggle will continue
ceaseless,
without fear,
without a halt.
(11) DICTUM
May equality
among humans
be set up,
the equality wanted and wished for
since ages!
May this world be cleansed of
sub-caste, castes, sects and religions!
There should be
no discrimination in and obstruction
to the unity among people.
Human recognition
should not be due to
the states and nations,
languages and dresses.
The human being
should only be known by his
body and mid,
sagacity bred of
experience and deep thinking.
May love germinate
among human beings,
the opiate, inflectious, loyal love!
Destroy
blind orthodoxy,
brutality of man towards man.
O, man
don't go astray now.
don't get bogged down in
imaginary deals of destiny,
and don't brook impediments!
Folly, mere folly,
ignorance profound!
Set free
life and man from it;
mankind be saved from
the wicked, spiteful
religious zealots!
May the hiatus
vanish once for all!
Let invincible and rare aptitude
be endowed upon
the oppressed!
Among the mankind
let there be prosperity,
economic equality,
all ronnd permeable social equity!
(12) FASCINATION
At the outset os spring
Honeybunch
do not be pompous!
Don't trust so much
the fascinating spring;
do not zoom
with song-cycle
from earth to the welkin blue.
The duration of its melody
is of a short span
and its pleasure is transient.
Don't remain so complacent
by trusting its fragrance
o, my mind!
Don't be carried away
by the strong waves of emotions
dear me!
This brief season will soon end
and you will not be able
to hold it for long.
This charming fragrance
of spring, is a thing
rippling,
soaring sky high
indolent and spoony,
twin ally of
languid, cool breeze!
It is a deep riddle insoluble,
try not to know it.
Be not enticed or mesmerized
by it unconsciously, even by mistake.
Don't get infatuated
or become loyal
just with the mere touch
of the spring month,
or its loving
sweet scent!
(13) IMPERCEPTIBLE / UNTOUCHED
O,
rollicking, soporific
winds of spring
don't touch me like that
touch me not!
Full with fondness
the Sawan's serenades echo;
neither stop nor pass this way
you winds of spring.
Rambling dazing winds of spring
don't swamp me
in the swelling, brimming
wells and pools
of emotional strains;
in the wells and pools of
sweet, carnal passions
don't touch me like that
touch me not!
O, winds of spring
you exciting, cheerful winds of spring
come not towards
this cursed area
out of bounds
since ever.
This helpless,
quiet and arid mind
is given over
since ever;
don't come this side
you winds of spring
o, fragrant, rustling winds of spring
don't touch me,
like that
touch me not!
in the lustful, pining wells and pools
don't soak me
like that
soak me not.
In these unrestrained limbed
lasciviously longing since ages,
wells and pools
don't thus
soak me,
soak me not!
O, winds of spring
you fidgety, profuse winds of spring
don't touch me
like that
touch ne not!
This area
is imperceptible, out of sight, untouched
since ever.
Don't come this side,
this is neglected, unseen, unknown
since ever!
(14) UNREQUITED BESTOWAL
Now,
what can I give you
except a carved
stationary statue;
except dispersed dust?
Whatever I am,
I have become
been cast.
Have used up
many a breath
from the assigned stock;
have attained fruition.
It is not possible now
to indulge in
experimental hewing, carving
what would be left incomplete,
the rest will remain unexpressed.
At the present stage of life
and its fag end
me, a rising and setting
sun,
what can I give you except
the warmth
of a known
cuddly feeling!
You are like
the deep sea on high tide;
your burning, sizzling
lusts are like
the infinite sky,
what can I give you
o, passion incarnate
except intense fancies and
an unassuaged excitement!
(15) ONE SUNDAY
The whole day
passed away in waiting,
waiting for all sorts of men.
No one unexpected came,
none unwanted too encountered.
The whole day passed away
moment by moment
this Sunday.
None brought any tiding
good or bad,
interesting or disheartening.
The whole day passed away
in cogitation,
in desiring to see
one or the other,
strolling to and fro
in the rooms.
Early in the morning
only
came the newspaper,
the milk vendor
rang the door bell
rang the door bell
in the morsning and the evening
as his wont.
Otherwise
not a leaf rustled,
even a bird did not fly
over the sky
around me.
the whole day passed away
as a long wait
in mute helplessness!
(16) GRATEFULNESS
O, my mind
quit
this place!
Whom to wait for here
more now,
o, my mind!
The day has declined,
it is evening,
Deep darkness
is surrounding
on four sides!
My mind
accept wholeheartedly
this solitariness
with pleasure,
O, my mind!
O, God!
I am grateful to you
extremely
grateful!
(17) INCOMPLETE
Something remains
un-said!
Shall I add an appendix
or hold back?
Something unendurable
persists!
(18) VICTOR LUDORUM
Terror : mourning
riddled / blood soaked
dead bodies of the innocent
are lying on the heath and the fields;
mutilated bodies
lie scattered
on the roads.
Hapless
mother, wife, sisters, daughters
father, brothers, friends, neighbours
controlling emotions
holding anger
stand downcast
dumb and helpless.
The Guru - God, Allah's devotee
celebrates
in the prayer house.
(19) TERROR STRUCK
Panic : profound silence.
stillness all around!
Terrified dogs,
frightened birds
are all mute.
It seems
the brutal barbarians
have again killed innocent people
rapaciously,
have mercilessly done to death
nightly.
Deafening the silence
the religious slogan has again
echoed!
Danger,
deadly danger prevails!
By the end of night
horrified dogs will howl
terrified birds will shriek!
But we
bearing the ache of brutalized age
will haul the debris of history.
(20) SOMEONE UNKNOWN
One man, hunched, gloomy
wreathing in pain,
leading a devastated life,
has passed away.
One man, hunchbacked, distressed,
injured and blood smeared,
crying seeking shelter
has just now passed away.
(21) TO THE HAWKER
Ah, what
day after day
you deliver
blood smeared newspaper
at my door!
Saturated with
horrid happenings
in every colomn
the marks of indiscriminate firing
appear apparent
on every page.
Awe strikes
while touching, reading
the newspaper
emitting flames
exuding malevolence
it seems stinging!
Although I go to bed
every night after hearing the news
that nothing untoward has happened,
the situation is tense
but is under control.
(22) SELF DESTRUCTION
We ourselves
are undoing ourselves.
How strange
that we do not feel the pain
because
a parochial, uncivil, barbaric
mania of religion
controls
our heart and mind.
We are bursting hand grenades on ourselves.
in a fit of madness
we are mining our own houses
and igniting them
to maim our own people.
We ourselves
are discarding human attributes,
have dehumanized ourselves
and roar
to annihilate
our own clan!
(23) PEOPLE
People are following
their flock,
They know not
their aim,
are ignorant,
completely deprived.
They rove or
move around
their hovels!
The noise
that rumbles
here, there :
has any man-eater
arrived?
There is apprehension
in the jungles of pine today!
(24) EMERGENCY
The storm
has not yet subsided,
much havoc
has been wrought,
destruction is still continuing.
The ominous night
is not yet over.
Be vigilant
about every footfall.
Remain alert!
One cannot be sure
when somebody might knock
at the door to seek refuge!
Throwing out venom
snarling
like a stricken snake
the hurricane
will die down ultimately.
Consuming every thing
the dense dark night
will also vanish.
Every moment
awaits a fine morning
for existence!
(25) REMAIN WATCHFUL
Remain awake
till it is morning the world over!
Fear frowns everywhere,
hurt humanity is wailing,
bear the brunt
till organized protests ensue!
Let every man be free from confinement,
contend against the tide,
till the flaring up of
the victory war of masses.
Fight death, feel not tired,
march unto the end, stop not
till the tormenters cower and crumble!
(26) WHOLE WORLD A FAMILY
In today's progressive and civilzed new world
segregating man from man
on the basis of
castes, households, creed or wealth;
calling one the low
and the other high
calling one our own
another one other's
is a serious crime
an unpardonable crime.
Such individual or a society
who believe in creating a wedge
between man and man
or
want to perpetuate poverty
will have to be annihilated.
The end result of
the centuries old struggle
and common thinking
is that :
we will have one caste - human
our family is one - human love
descending from Manu-Shraddha
our creed is one - humanity
our community is one - toil.
The difference of colour and features
is variegated nature's versatility.
We are amazed at it.
We are proud of it.
Long ago in the hoary past
distances and the lack of communications
made us speak in different tongues
and have different alphbetical sings.
But today
with the grace of science
we have changed these distances
into neighbourhoodsThe restraints of language and letters
have been eliminated
with mutual interaction.
The sanguine spate of desire for love
has broken the barriers and bars
which divide us
in different castes, families, creed and sects.
(27) CORRUPTION
Corruption is rampant
and is rife like weeds
overgrown everywhere.
It has bedraggled
and drowned the country every moment
in the deep depths of depravity.
It has given
a cruel and crude treatment
to the precious lives of
millions of people.
It is a forbidden
and an ignoble deed
a blemished
and a fraudulent conduct.
(28) UNMASKED
A gang of swindlers
is having
a wild spree.
May you prosper
in air conditioned mansions!
Singing songs of triumph
raving with abandon ride
a Ferris wheel!
May you succeed in life,
every tangle be resolved!
Wealth is everything,
it is omnipotence;
the thugs appreciate the lustre of riches,
they know the unlimited and
incomprehensible significance
of wealth.
But all have been nabbed
and brought to book :
The monks, the politicians
cunning ministers, the preceptors et.al.
Amazemen en masse!
A Fury and not a Fairy!
The masks have been shed
the true faces are revealed!
(29) THE MACABRE LEECHES AND TICKS
The blood sucking, greedy,
hungry, countless leeches and ticks
are clinging to
the body politic of the new born nation.
Come, let us pluck, twitch
and consign them to the blazing fire!
Let us, forthwith, hold their
eager, swollen lust
from diffusing abroad,
lest it should consume everything!
The country's new fabric
should not disintegrate.
The selfish parasites
might not gulp down
the developing nation's opulence!
(30) TOMFOOLERY
You too
served banalities to us.
Alas!
We have been taken for a ride this time also!
for instance,
see the coined phrase : secularism -
and the other of
Social justice.
Not only these
there are other cliché like
national integration / and constitutional propriety
which this time too
you flaunted like the
tantrums of a clown
and made away!
Being the proclaimed
architect of India's destiny,
we had expected from you
some value added fruitage
but what a mess you have made!
What a tomfoolery
and a gloomy mishmash!
What sort of democratic rigmarole is it?
It is an affront and a rebuff
to the public!
(31) TRICKERY OF VOTES
Meandering through
the lanes and alleys,
ghettos and slums
of the down trodden
treading on the pock-marked, uneven,
raising loud and sky rending slogans,
a grand procession of the oppressed
is advancing.
They are not chartered,
aping, throat croaking sloganeers.
They are real, all factual,
corpulent, robust,
paunchy, roly poly,
sand boy intimidators
donning expensive sloughs.
All are watching the pranks
of the raggle-taggle, tonsured
dark, black urchins
of the Dalits wearing
soiled and torn
briefs and vests.
And standing outside their shanties
the veiled women
of the oppressed
make a striking scene.
Single-minded they are watching
the gradually advancing
grand procession of the oppressed.
Saviour of the poor
promoting their concerns
and hailing them,
shooting photos, gulping juice
the procession proceeds.
Tomorrow the public will watch
on the T.V. monitors
the same, the very same
fine procession of the Dalits.
But it is regretted
that not a single soul
of the Dalits is among them
and none of them expresses
the voice of the underdogs!
(32) SUDDENLY
Your memory flashed up today
and titillated my mind,
after ages,
many years.
Your company
was a palpable fact,
your hand a handy armour.
Every thing is lost in the past
frequent infatuation persists.
Ages have gone by
slowly, gradually,
nursing dreams every night,
but those sweet kaleidoscopic pictures
have been the inspiration of life.
(33) WELCOME
The blooming orchid in my yard
strews a multi-shaded grandeur sweet.
Her soft and silky tangled tresses
have a perfect shiny gloss.
She has snugness in her arms
and an insight in her eyes.
Naively she squeaks like a sparrow
and warbles dulcet notes.
Lanky and fresh
as if dangling from a tree twig
she feels bestowed upon the riches divine
and seems gloating over all her lot.
She appears thoroughly satisfied
adorned as she s with trinkets fine.
The orchid is blooming
the beauteous blossom in my yard.
(To my grand-daughter baby Ira)
(34) BEFORE THE RAINS
A dense black cloud,
a sable cloud
has overcast the sky today.
After months of heat
intense, searing, ceaseless heat,
lulled by air
the humid tortuous weather
has turned pleasant.
Some one, it seems
has laid on the human body
the silky sheet of gray cloud.
Its lustre lures.
The cloud enamours
the black cloud
enchants!
(35) ASPIRATION : SUN
(1)
May every person be a sun
full of energy
and pure as heat!
May every person blaze like the sun,
be a flame
impartial and unblemished!
(2)
May every person be like the sun
bright,
punctual and
a plume of light!
Wherever he may go
let every particle shine,
uproot dilemma and gloom
from the room!
(3)
May every person be like the sun
radiant,
full of warmth,
and resplendent!
May every person seem
shining like the sun!
(36) A TRUTH
Bondage
flares up as a challenge,
as an unwelcome,
undesirable yoke,
continuously incites
rebellion, use of force, a resistance,
conflagration and anger.
Bondage
develops as consummation of love,
attachment,
and induces
fondness, lasting commitment,
a willing submission,
alacrity and an urge.
(37) TERROR AND ANXIETY
Extreme constriction
has palsied lips,
hands and feet have been immobilized,
angst reigns,
humanity seethes with anger.
Holocaust haunts around,
Terrorism looms large everywhere.
This callous climate has to be changed.
To save mankind
every one has to be alert.
The inflammation is immense
the heat is rigorous.
Every horizon is obscure
and is shrouded with smoke.
The fire is intense,
its flames are flaring,
rippling sky high.
It must be doused.
(38) ATTENTION
Darkness and despondency pervade!
Intense melancholy!
Utter hopelessness
has seized the entire universe,
and bogged it down
completely ..
But don't be alarmed!
Overwhelmed, don't be diffident
even for a moment.
Do not relax
for it is certain
eftsoons
light will prevail.
Come
let us sing songs of hope
to blight the blues
and snuff out gloom.
Surely darkness will die!
(39) GREETINGS
May the ultimate year of this bloody century
be the year of the worship of Shakti
(the goddess of gallantry)
of devotion and prayer!
May the coming century
be the period of mankind's certain triumph
over savagery!
May the flush of accomplishments
be flashed on every face!
May the human race
be weaned away from wickedness,
animalism, ferocity and tyranny!
May the arrogance vanish,
and the milk of human kindness
suffuse the human heart!
May every person discard vileness,
have mutual love and fellow feelings
and be an intellectualist!
May pure human consciousness
be the main aim of every soul!
May the new year be full of
graces great!
(40) REALISTIC IDEAL
We have delineated life and the living
only objectively in letter and spirit.
Equality of man
has always been our guiding principle,
our dream to see every man
thriving excellently.
We are resolved to rid society of abuse.
We are determined to transform
the world into a paradise.
We have modern bent of mind
to create history,
to make the new age most developed
and superb all over.
(41) DETERMINE
Shiny, glowing
torches we are.
Lofty
glowing lights are we.
We are the lighthouses
flashing permeative glares.
We are the lodestars.
Calm and composed,
firmly resolved
we are :
to shatter
the intence, painful
all pervading gloom and
to scatter
over whelming lustrous brilliance
all over, everywhere.
Our radiant aura
infuses confidence
and defuses
all misgivings of mankind
lock, stock and barrel,
eliminates every nagging doubt,
and in a jiffy
suffuses pleasure all around,
removing all hurdles.
We are determined
to elute deep rooted
despondency and dejection
from every melancholy heart
and to rejuvensce it
with optimism.
(42) SPRING AIR
Smooching my body
blew the sensuous,
capriciously cuddly breeze.
Never I had felt it
so pleasing ever before.
Blowing my mind
blew the indolent air
captivatingly.
Never I had felt it
so pleasing ever before.
Fully familial
pulsating with love
the beguiler got beguiled.
Clinging and clasping,
rocking on the arms,
swinging and swaying,
elated,
swished the clothes
ruffled the hair,
tingled the limbs
and God knows
how flippantly
hallucinating it had been!
(43) FOGGY SKY
Foggy and smoggy
lies the sky!
It is late in the day
yet the sky is lolling lazily,
simply snoozy
it betrays no stimulus.
Feigning excessive cold
it drools like a dunce!
Warm midday now holds sway
but the sky seems dusky.
Far off in the horizon
even the smog seems sulky
eftsoons it will wane!
(44) YOU
Whenever you smile
you look more pleasing!
Why do you smile
over trifles?
Whenever you face the mirror
beau ideal
for make up
to put a bright moony dot
between your bow like eye-brows
on your hair free bright brow
you gloat
and look more pleasing!
Far away from the town then
lost in the memory of some one
when you float the lamps in the river
you look more pleasing,
gracile enchantress
you look more pleasing!
Time and again
when you hum
dulcet poignant tunes
of lovelorn songs
or sing sweet hymns,
you look more pleasing!
(45) CHARMING FLOWERS
These flowers have perfumed
my entire dwelling thoroughly
and have suddenly taken away
the loneliness of a listless life.
Let these flwers bloom
and sway on their stalks
and imbue my frail body
and dismal mind emotionally.
These flowers
have permeated the whole world
with a sweet smell
and have made it resplendent
with their spectral hues.
Let these flowers bloom
and rock on their stalks
to have a pleasant crush
with the world's people
hilariously, clingingly.
These flowers have made
this terrified terra firma
delightful,
yes, have filled it
with romances galore.
Let these flowers bloom
from hill to hill, over all deserts,
in all jungles
myriad habitats,
every home
everywhere.
(46) ACTUALLY
While observing caution
Time flew fast.
Every thing tidied
went awry.
All that was in hand
slipped away suddenly
at every cautious step.
Every strand tore away
while sorting out
or got twisted tediously.
Every thread
became taut in the process
gradually at every step
of seeking solution.
Life has been spent
learning life.
Vocal scores were lost
at soprano pitch
in learning the art of music.
(47) A Fact
As life began
the end followed,
just when it dawned
darkness prevailed.
In the sky
with ceaseless diffusion
the rays vanished,
so that far and wide
an endless stream
of bright light
was visible no more.
Here, there, everywhere
there was a loud noise.
Till every limit of the horizon a
crimson morning had shone.
The lyric, the song
the love, the beloved,
had all ceased to exist.
But wait
light will come
it will gush in
a new morrow.
(48) WELCOME :
TWENTY FIRST CENTURY
May the coming century
imbue
the human mind
with the fresh rays of
tutelary genius!
Rising above
the blind faiths,
trite beliefs;
renouncing fanatic,
puerile and primitive creeds
may every man
be the ardent follower of
a nouvelle culture!
May the whole world
be well versed in a
thoroughly propounded
universal religion!
May it discard
hollow traditional ideology,
rotten slough, fatal,
decaying fungivorous dungaree
so that only truth
may shine!
During the ensuing hundred years
may kindness, affection and compassion
rule the roost!
May the sanctified, refined and
cooling waters of piety douse
the mind and body of
the mankind inflicted by intense
hatred and violence.
May the earth be
suffused with
lofty feelings, fine emotions
and be managed
under standardized and judicious plans!
May barbarism
cruelty, rancour, and restlessness
be vanished!
All may become
good and tolerant
and become Godlike protectors.
(49) A WELCOME MOMENT
Waving the benign pennant,
the gracious emblem
of pious intentions
the new century
the twenty first century
has begun
on the earth.
Very graceful,
flying like a fairy
flaunting white raiments
of a new era,
for establishing
peace and prosperity,
promising beatitude,
has set in
the new century
the twenty first century.
To materialize
man's long cherished
dreams on the earth;
to imprint
his greatest creations
on humanity
the new century
the twenty first century
has arrived.
We welcome it
with dedication
whole heartily!
(50) THE PLEASURE OF TRIUMPH
I had wished
to flourish
till the beginning of
the new century!
I had wished
the throbbing pulse
not to stop
till the beginning of
the gay and glorious
new century!
Fulfillment of
this wish is
astonishing.
Human faith
is indeed
very efficacious
and wonderously potent.
I had wished
to live till
the advent of the new century.
At last
it has come
the reveling new century.
In fact
the rollicking new century
has set in!
Death stands vanquished.
Life is triumphant.
My penance is fruitful
and my soul will now
don the new raiment
at its own convenience!
Contact :
DR. MAHENDRA BHATNAGAR
110 BalwantNagar, Gandhi Road,
Gwalior — 474 002 (M.P.) INDIA
Phone : 0751-4092908
M - 098934 09793
E-Mail : drmahendrabh@rediffmail.com
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