My Voice
History is crucified in a half burnt stage directly in front of
open eyes; Neruda’s poem is lying near the dead bodies of
children, and a young girl is standing like a black shadow
resisting the suppression of the voice and sight of the young
generation. The lines on the palms have been question marked.
These things happen in front of people belonging to all
generations. Yes, all these presentations were to protest
against the injustice rampant in this world. They were in the
form of paintings, act and display -- somehow I saw a kind of
poetry in them, a poetry which is not written in words but
presented in a poetic manner. There may be a number of questions
bubbling up in our minds. Can there be poetry without words,
poetry in reality or poetry in protest? Or can a protest be
poetry? I do not accept them merely as paintings as a painting
is a cage where the present turns to past. All these situations
are very much in the present, poetry wailing near the dead body
of children, history caught in chains and hanged, a young girl
clothed in black, in black veil, walking besides us every moment.
They belong to the present; how can they be perceived to be of
the past?
I am bringing all these situations before the readers of Kritya,
in the form of main pictures. I hope, the readers will decide
for themselves – whether it is a poetry of protest, or a
protest in poetry.
These feelings have been picturised in different styles by Rati
Saxena -editor kritya and presented in sketches by Anoop
Sethi and Sumanika Sethi. Anoop Sethi has presented happiness,
sorrow, thoughts, life, death etc in a symbolic vein. Sumanika
has brought the feelings of womanhood in pencil sketches. I feel
the pictures and sketches will give a distinctive meaning of
their own to readers of Kritya.
In this issue we have two great European poets Percy Bysshe
Shelley in the section" Our Masters" and Walt Whitman in the
"Editors Choice" section. No doubt our readers will enjoy their
poetry. In the section of contemporary poetry we come with a few
very famous poets like Keki N. Daruwalla ,
Nissim Ezekiel , and Makhdoom Mohiuddin etc along with some
other strong voices of their own time. I hope readers will enjoy
these. In the name of poetry we are bringing two articles - A
culture Memory by Suma VS and Poetry in life and life in poetry
by Rati Saxena.
Dear friends, our readers are demanding for print issue of
Kritya at least yearly; since Kritya is still not self
dependent, it is a little difficult, but not impossible. I
invite the valuable suggestions of readers on this matter.
We all hope that Kritya will be in print form soon.
Kritya pays respectful homage to Dr
K.Ayyappa Paniker, one of the greatest multi faceted
personalities of our times, who passed away on 23rd August 2006.
From the time of Kritya's inception, Dr.Paniker, the great poet,
critic and translator, has been our guide and mentor. In fact,
the very first issue of Kritya carried the poems of Ayyappa
Paniker in the section Editor's Choice. He has left behind a
vast wealth of literary output which will continue to inspire
many generations to come.
Rati Saxena
REPORT ON FESTIVAL OF POETRY
