Dear Rati Saxena,

You sent me a brief message about a month ago, asking if I would submit some poems to Kritya. Had you seen some of my poems online (I think my email address can be found at the Mudlark site)? I haven’t gotten around to answering any email for over six weeks because I’ve been obsessed with revising a novel. That finally done, I checked out the Kritya site this week. Beautiful paintings and fascinating sketches. I noticed that you just published some poems by David Chorlton. I published a small chapbook of his back in the mid-nineties when I had my own small press called Beginner’s Mind. It was named after the book by Shunryu Suzuki called “Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind.” Sadly (actually most of the time it was funny), most of the people who submitted poems to the press thought “Beginner’s Mind” meant I was open to those just starting out writing poetry. An honest mistake, I suppose. But, like the recent essay on technology and inspiration in Kritya, the blinding flash of direct inspiration usually only results in good art when the poet has honed his/her
skills for years. Here in the states, many want to create art in an instant. Fast
food, fast cars, instant coffee, instant art. Instant art may be dazzling and
glamorous at first, but it has no depth. It’s a kind of art that resembles most of
the shoddy architecture in this country – aluminum and cement slapped together to
make endless miles of business offices and fast food restaurants.
I’ve enclosed four poems from a new manuscript called “Return.” If you
don’t like these, there’s always more. If you need a bio, here’s one:
My poems and stories have appeared in Mudlark, Big Bridge,
Hanging Loose, 2River, Alaska Quarterly Review, etc. A book of linked
prose poems (On the Side of the Crow) has recently been published by
Hanging Loose Press. I live in New Mexico.
Meanwhile, bomba atomica, bomba politica, bomba economia; bombs falling
everywhere. The task of peace, impossible. The task of recovering the
poisoned earth, impossible. What to do? Engage in the politics of the
impossible.
Hope all’s well in Tivandrum,

Christien Gholson chakraburn@juno.com

***


Well, I didn't want to bore you with my observations, but I must say
that the publishing of the works in Hindi AND English at Kritya is
intriguing. I know almost nothing about the Hindi language, but it is
beautiful to look at. I couldn't tell if my poems were also in Hindi
there, but would be thrilled to see that. Recently, I told another
friend of mine from India, Dr. Zoya Zaidi, about your site and
encouraged her to submit to Kritya. You may be hearing from her soon.
It is a joy to interact with your culture through my own poetry, as the
Western culture has, sadly, left poets behind in the so-called modern
world. Poetry has become obscure here despite a deceptively large
presence online. But still we poets soldier on. Hopefully, I am doing
my own small part for the cause.

Thank you,

Ward


L. Ward Abel

www.universecanoe.com

***

Just saw the website: really impressive.
You have a Dr. against you name - how come you are so good at IT!
I am tempted to send some poems to you, that I'll do some time later.
Is the Hindi version an active site?
All the best
Prem Mathur

(Australia)

Some good poems including zen, again.
Thanks Ratiji,
Good wishes and regards,
Aju Mukhopadhyay

****

Hello.

My name is Lisa Zaran. I am an American poet and essayist living in
Arizona. I became aware of your magazine when I received an email with a
link to the latest issue. I read through the entire thing. I absolutely
loved it. The versatality of the poets you chose, from American to Indian.
Wonderful.

Dear Ms Ratiji:
I am glad your reviewer asked you about Translation. Ihope you recollect my request for your participations in my Symposium in www.languageinindia.com
I request you once again to visit the site and send me your ideas.
Your travails are a millionfold more botherig me to continue the Symposium.
Hope you'd cooperate.
I think you still have some of my poems.
All the best
Rama Rao

****

Dear Ratiji,
Reading your interview just now- it's a challenging one- frank and outspoken- i like it- i have read your poems and this month's new-creations- Let me continue-

Regards,

Aju Mukhopadhyay
 

****

Dear Dr. Saxena,

Thank you for your letter and your interest in our
poetry. I visited your e-journal and must say that I;m
very impressed. It looks very nice.

You are welcome to use any of the translations from my
collection, but I would appreciate if you would credit
me and make a link to Lithuanian Poetry's website....
My opinion is that being such
a small nation we Lithuanians should always appreciate
any interest in our culture, literature, poetry,
art... Therefore, as I said, you are welcome to use
any poems from my website for your web journal.

If I could be of any further help, please don't
hesitate to ask. I will do my best to assist you.

I wish you all the best and, again, thanks a lot for
your interest in Lithuanian culture. You probably know
that our Lithuanian language is very close to ancient
Sanskrit.

Sincerely,

VALDAS ANELAUSKAS


***



Yes, I have read some of your poems -- in Kritya, at
the Other Voices website, and in andwerve. I've read
them with an eye toward learning from them, not
critiquing them.

The Internet has enhanced my awareness of the enormous
extent and variety of the English-speaking world. In
this wired 21st century, I've had to contemplate the
distinctly American English that I write and to wonder
how well my poems are able to communicate with readers
whose native versions of English originate in England,
India, the Caribbean, Africa, Ireland, Scotland,
Wales, Belize, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, etc.

When I read British writers, I notice the differences
that everybody notices between British and American
English -- the color/colour and realize/realise
spelling differences and the dessert/pudding,
cookie/biscuit, truck/lorry vocabulary differences. I
know than Indian English is more closely associated
with the British than the American version of the
language. Witness, for example, your use of the word
"crackers" in the poem "children after war." To an
American, a cracker is a small, edible baked item,
something flat, crisp, and salty that might be served
on a tray with cheese and other snacks to be enjoyed
with a before-dinner drink. To a Briton (and, I
assume, to an Indian), it's a cylindrical party favor
that makes a loud noise when pulled open to reveal the
paper hat and other trinkets inside.

And differences in word usage are only one aspect of a
much larger issue. Think of all the local literary
allusions and all the references to history, religion,
ancient mythology, and contemporary popular culture
that might be easily understood in one
English-speaking country and utterly baffling in
another. It's exciting but also daunting to think
about how much there is for me still to learn.

I do have one question about a word choice in your
poem "Loan of moonlight." In the fourth line of that
poem, do you mean to say "root" or "route"? (Some
Americans pronouce those two words identically,
although some rhyme "root" with "boot" and "route"
with "about.")

I hope you are well. Next week, I start rehearsing a season of plays that will keep me busy into October. For four months I'll have very little time to devote to poetry or to e-mail communication. I'll do my best to stay in touch, but please don't take offence if I turn into a bad correspondent.

All the best,
Chris