The Far Side and Other Poems

Poet’s Note

For me, the period of lockdown during the pandemic, was not so much a time of incarceration as introspection. Many of the poems in this volume of verse were written in that phase, when only the mind was unfettered. This collection is an amalgam of tiny reflections on life’s myriad facets and intricacies. Yet, the journey from observation to poetry is never a simple one. Many of them, of course, emanate from lived spaces, both inner and outer.

I recall Rumi’s words in Coleman Barks translation:
‘Poetry journeys into the music and silence of the heart and soul’

So much in the seen and unseen world is unfathomable. I am constantly mystified by the enigmatic scheme of the
Prime Mover and the mystery of His Presence. This may find resonance in the poem ‘The Far Side’:

‘I feel the blur of tenuous lines
between the far side and the near side’
‘Burnished Corn’ echoes the same thought:
‘Here in this garden without end
there will be no farewells
only refrains from the rosebush
where I let you into my dawns of deep knowing’

The concept of Time has always fascinated me. It is reminiscent of the fragility of life and inextricably tied with existence. In the poem of the same title:

‘It arrives and leaves in the same moment
an incomprehensible nothing
that holds fate in its thrall
and leads me
to what lies beyond itself.
I wait for it to relinquish
its hold on me’

‘Varanasi’ is close to my heart. In this most ancient and holy of all cities, the cradle of the omnipotent Shiva, the mighty Ganga flows with exquisite equipoise. Numerous myths and legends make it a haven of enlightenment, replete with the stories of the sacred quest of the Buddha:

‘Into many passing centuries
flows this river of faith homewards
in quest of its source’

The themes of love and loss, invariably mirror life. I quote from Jibanananda Das’s celebrated and timeless poem ‘Banalata Sen’:

‘Even as I held, I beheld
the promise of two moments of peace then
in the arms of my sometime
small-town Banalata Sen’

My poem ‘The Meeting’ may have been subconsciously inspired:

‘He saw a glimpse of her
after a lifetime
the brief and brittle moment
poised between possibilities
did not have a name’

‘Leaving’ contains the same mood:
‘My gaze will follow you
through the squalls in your soul
my words give you tools
to mend your sundered boat’

One is constantly filled with wonder for elements of Nature. . .oceans, forests, mountains, living creatures, seasons, constitute parts of the whole.

The poem ‘Autumn’ describes the Chinar in the Fall:

‘This emblem of Nature
now bows to the order of the Universe
to change imperceptibly
into kindled hues of raw gold and yellow
and the passion of saffron’

It is heartwarming that across the world, poetry, with its widening appeal, continues to be kept alive and dynamic. Arguably, it is still an important force and in contemporary times, enjoyed by more readers than ever before. Innumerable poets have served as an inspiration and enriched one’s journey, having taken this route less travelled, to add a profound dimension with their originality and eloquence.

This collection, my third volume, is as much a product of the times we live in as the people who touch our lives. Equally, it is a humble tribute to all poets and poetry lovers.

Renu Roy