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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 http

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Dear, Mrs Saxena,

Thank you very much for publishing my poems in the new issue of Kritya. It isalways a pleasure to read this lovely magazine and to enjoy the creative work of so many talented people. May I also use this opportunity to express my admirations to your mission as a poet, writer and editor, unifying different cultures and views in the name of poetry and art.

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Dear Dr. Saxena,

It's been a pleasure to read your journal for the last few months. Congratulations on
your one year anniversary! There is much wisdom in this nexus called Kritya. You
propose that Meera singing to Krishna transforms pain into joy; you weave a spell with
strands of culture, history and poetry; you summon many voices of philosophy and
literature; and so Kritya speaks with many tongues, though despite diverse languages
they coalesce in a purpose of passion and joy. Thank you for making this happen!


Below you'll find some of my poems, none published anywhere else. Please pick and
choose-or return them all to me, whatever you decide. I have received many
rejections, but also work very hard, sacrificing for my art. The result has been over
a hundred journals accepting my poems. You can find them on the ArgoBoat and many
other places on the web.


I'm babbling . I'm sure you are busy! Thank you truly for your time.

Very Sincerely,

Chris Crittenden

PS: one last thing: I am ashamed to be a citizen of the United States; and I hope
that India, which will be one of the world's great powers soon, does a better job.

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Rati,

The launch sounds worthy and enjoyable for all the work that goes into such matters, even
more so in a mountain city of the nature you describe. I have always liked mountains,
both as a metaphor and in reality. When I am in New Zealand I write on the hills in
Christchurch, overlooking the coastline of the South Island and Southern Alps.

Here's a slightly more detailed short biog as you ask for, as well as a few more of my
poems. What I have done is linked the new ones with the previous ones so there is now 7
of my recent poems where - I hope - the mountain wind might smile on occasion.

Kind regards,
Gary
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dear Rati Saxena ji

i visited your site. you are doing a wonderful job. I congratulate you and send my warm greetings for doing such a nice job for promoting literature.
I also got email from Usha ji (UK) who asked me to be in touch with you.
yes we can associate with each other for carrying out literary activities and promoting art, literature & culture in general.
you may visit our websites to know little more about our activities:

www.thewritersclub.org
www.indianwriters.org

soon i will put link of your website on our website.

please keep me informing about your activities, future programmes.

regards

DEV Bhardwaj
Chandigarh

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Dear Dr Rati Saxena
Thank you very much for your email. I have just browsed through your website on your journal. I am keen to get asspciated with it by contributing poetry and articles. I have already been pre-occupied with working on folktales of North-East India, Milton, Shakespeare and D.H. Lawrence.
By the way, are you interested to get associated with the World Literature Society as a founder-member? No founder-member is required to pay anything by way of a membership fee.
With my kind regards
Sincearely yours
Bhaskar Roy Barman

Dr Bhaskar Roy Barman
Secretary general, World Literature Society
PO Box 51
Agartala 799 001
West Tripura, India
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Liked oskar Hansen, Dhanwa- the long Hindi poem, many nice poems including yours. I liked specially your search for backbones in the last issue.
Thank you,
Aju Mukhopadhyay
 

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Saxena Friend: I accompany a poem in Spanish - since I do not speak nor I write in inglès- agradecerè to see the possibility of finding anybody that translates it to inglès or to the Hindu and if outside affability to publish it. Associate references on literary activity, with publications in newspapers and magazines of Argentina, Spain, France, Mèxico, Puerto Rico, Brazil, Colombia, Nicaragua, Chile, Cuba, etc... A hug from America to the south.

Sergio Manganelli

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Rati, Each issue of Kritya is a real literary feast. Enjoyed all the poems, yours too very much. Satchidanand