An Introduction Poem by Bijay Kant Dubey

My name is Bijay Kant Dubey,
The son of Udai Kant Dubey and Shanti Devi,
Was born on 11 October,1965
At Lohardih village under post Sarwan,
B.Deoghar sub-division
Of the then time S.P., Dumka district
Under Bihar state.

But lived I not at the village,
My father who had been posted there
Brought us to Dumka
And there grew I up
together with them,
In the affectionate company of theirs,
Basically opting to stay and read at home.

As a child I grew up
Under the affection and care of a widowed aunt
Who had been childless
And turned into a widow
Just at the age of being nine years old
But used to be with us
And sucked I the breast of hers so long.

In the place outside the rented house,
Brick-built and tiled,
We used to keep the buffaloes and cows
And in the cottage,
Straw-thatched and bamboo-pillared
I used to study
And the cattle in the half.

And they schooled me otherwise
Asking to be affectionate and sympathetic,
Kind and pitiful,
God-fearing and submissive,
Work-loving and careful,
Laborious and dutiful,
Loveful and helping.

My Father’s books, brother’s books,
Mother’s books
Used to be there
And I used to turn over
The pale pages of the books
And used to draw from
To be schooled.

I did my M.A. in English in 1988
And my Ph.D. on D.H.Lawrence: His Personality & Works in 1994
And during that period also my M.A.
In History and Political Science
And later when I get could not
See any prospect for appointment,
Even as a part-timer

I came to Chandrakona Town, Midnapore, West Bengal
In 1996,
Some 300 kms. away from my place
To eke a living
And to survive and sustain,
I got money and employment,
But not love.

Under their may and moha,
I even forgot it,
There is something as death
Which will come to someday finally
And viewed I life otherwise
When the tragedy befell upon,
Struck me all of a sudden.

Now work I as the head of the department of English
Of Chandrakona Vidysagar Mahavidyalaya
As well as am at present the co-ordinator
Of the Netaji Subhas Open Univ. Calcutta study centre
Of our college
And what more to say to?