Last week, at least the people in Kerala were witnesses to Nature changing her nature. The coldest month in the calendar passes without a bit of ice, a hot summer forgets to give us heat and sweat, and rain comes when farmers want a dry sky for their crops. Why has Nature become so insensitive? Does she want to tell man that if he loses his sensitiveness, nature will follow suit? As poets we want to write about our sentiments, but are we really expressing our deepest sentiments?

Sometimes I feel that most of the time we talk about our own pain, sorrow and happiness, rarely do we think about life around us. Is poetry limited to selfish emotions? What is the best poetry - to wipe the tears of a crying child, or to write about one’s own childhood?

When a number of Tibetans are crying for their freedom, what is the use of a writing few lines about one’s own love?

Isn’t Nature teaching us to live for others? Don’t we poets have an obligation to feel for others, share in their woes and do something to ensure the safety of the precious lives of others? Isn’t that the poet’s vocation, rather than penning lines on his/her own life, and comparatively trivial experiences?

Poetry is for life; it can talk about life and afterlife, but should ideally highlight life on this planet we live in. Kabir, a great poet of India, lived in medieval times and talked about the life of the common man as well as the philosophical aspect of life. But all his philosophical poems were used as erotic songs by villagers in their moods of celebration. Thus the common folk adapted philosophy in life quite innocently. As poets, it is our aim to see life in all aspects of life and living beings. That is why, Kritya is always focused on bringing out every issue with rich poems carrying all the colours and patterns of life, as well as every small joy and sorrow.
Paintings talk volubly about the complexity of life. In this issue, the paintings are made by Patrizia Bianchi's, an artist from Italy. We are introducing a Mexican Poet ROCIO GONZALEZ as Editor’s Choice, and these poems have been translated by Luisa Yolanda Jimenez. We have a good selection of poetry in Poetry in Our Time. In the section, In the Name of Poetry, we have an essay on the poetry of the Telugu poet Sri Sri, written by P. Gopi Chand & P. Naga Suseela. We have for you the poetry of the rainy season from Ritu Sanhar in the section, Our Masters.
Friends, we need your support, so please write to us about every issue of Kritya so that we can improve this literary resource.

Best wishes

Rati Saxena


check the link for Poetry festival-   kritya2008