My Country - My People: Modern Indian Epic: 10 Poem by Seshendra Sharma
My Country - My People: Modern Indian Epic: 10
CANTO V11
You living corpses! Look! Falcons are hovering over your cities
That silent trees do not speak is an idea of your ignorance but they are monks
living on their inner energy. in the civilization of mix of huts and mansions
you commit suicides and flatter them as self-realization.
your speeches are charred chastity of languages
Trees rising out of the burning bosom of earth give soulful cool shade.
In woods ruled by winds man can penance without out lose of revere.
On the highway of your cities we find bullock carts
dragging like unbearable ancient burden.
Motorcars flash by like vanity on wheels,
do not even glance at the rows of trees on the roadside.
Old and new slight one another in your path.
Values of nature have been cast away by your view.
That eagle flying wing to wing with the plane in the high skies is not a mere bird
It is an ancient bird gazing from the ramparts of the azure at the rise and fall of civilizations.
Those civilizations Which Man unfurls as symbols and flags of his victory in pages of his history.
Looking at man's trumpeting vainglory mountains are in snide splits
Oceans are smiling in doubt; sky is roaring in laughter,
ancient forests, wombs of wisdom are in pain making inaudible commentaries
Oh Man! Where are your feet taking you?
Those feet bending under the burden of your shallow civilizations.
Listen! Sitting on the boundaries of centuries storms are screaming -
An epic, a long poem (Which Edgar Allen Poe called a contradiction in terms) . but
who am I to say No to a poem which chooses to assume the strangest of garbs
in one of the finest of minds.
So, so be it. Let me accept your OEUVRE as an epic.
But why why call it modern? it is timeless.
Why call it Indian? It is spaceless.
SRI SRI
(Indian poet)
It was not only Tagore and Gandhi who crossed the frontiers of their country
and reached the wider world and achieved universality...... Seshendra's epic poem
'My country My People' is an evidence..... some important critics have compared this epic
poem with T.S.Eliot's WASTELAND and 'L' ASCENSION' by St. John Perse. Personally
I would compare the pain and anguish of the poet with one of Loutremont in his lyric
'Mald Aurore'. The difference is that Seshendra's protest is not made in the void. Seshendra walks
firmly on his soil, one can find in the poet a wild whirlwind which attains incredible oratorial heights,
creating terrific images... whirling within him is the idea of strength of life that is fighting the dark powers
which want to take away its freedom and bread.... at times we observe in the poem
a biblical and Prophetic tone that attracts us.
NIKHEPHOROS VRETAKKOS(Greet Poet)
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem
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9/19/2024 7:51:36 AM # 1.0.0.1119
