Writing poetry demands a considerable feat of work, including thinking, understanding, explaining, and the ability to tell it succinctly. Although many find it highly gratifying, only a couple of them give it a try for the very same reason: the fear of being unable to express their feelings in poetic expressions, so we have very few poets that are making an impact. Recently, a new name has been added to that small family of poets who can weave poetry that not only represents contemporary times but also enriches the genre with creations that appeal to an international audience and tell stories from Nepal.
"The Colours of Spring," an anthology of English poems by Kuma Raj Subedi, is a treasure given to Nepali as well as to the English literary tradition in Nepal. His use of imagery, metaphors, and symbols in the poems is unique, and he delivers deep meanings with simple words. He does not let the readers feel that this is his debut effort. His intricate dealing with varieties of topics, including love, nature, relationships, politics, culture, myths, society, gender, and diaspora, is relatable to readers in Nepal and abroad. Poetry draws a few readers against its fictional and non-fictional prosaic counterparts since it also demands effort on their part. But Subedi is economical in his use of words while expressing his feelings; he delivers the exact meaning in a few words, thus assisting the readers to grasp the ideas and meanings between the lines.
Like a commodity in an open market
branded emotions and feelings,
bursting out from the core of my heart,
are placed on a showcase of
digital world
for sale.
(For Sale)
The book includes 77 poems of various lengths penned by Subedi. His poems express deep understandings of human relations and social dilemmas, emotions and experiences, nature's beauty, and human follies. He goes contrary to the traditionally held notion in Nepal that using heavy and complex words makes poems valuable and unique. He mesmerises the readers with his love poems with everyday words.
I am not a fragrance
but an incense itself
who would bun for your sake
until the end, watch it –
should you wish.
(The Loneliness of a Long-Distance Runner)
You should read his poems to look deeper into how society and education have forced an individual to apply logic. He is stunned by the reasons and logic now and longs to get back to the days of his childhood when he used to herd the goats by the river and in the woods, swim in the river, and when leopards were his enemies. There was fun; there were no artificial dealings in society. He praises his parents for the childhood tales, quizzical days, all the laughs, and ever-ready hands to feed him. In another poem, the poet uses the metaphor 'nymph' to describe his mother, whose face was big enough to hold skies and vales and where he could see his nation.
Yes,
my mother's face is
my safe Heaven
where seasons dance playfully
and so do I.
(Mother's Face)
Perhaps some of the best poems in the book are written about love. 'Love Musings', 'Unseen Reality', Carpe Diem Lady!' 'Darling Harbour', 'A Pilgrim of a Pious Pulchritude', 'Drinking the Moon', 'Without You' and many more tell the sweet feeling and music of love and romance where he describes his love, lover, and affairs with her. Some poems give you goosebumps, some amuse you, and some pull your heartstrings, and later you realise that there was a sweet music inside you that just awakened your soul. In some poems, he also juxtaposes his love for nature. But it's not that the poet only talks about love; he also criticises the traditions that snatch the liberty of women, male chauvinism that wants to continue with the servitude of women, and masculinity. Just look at the powerful portrayal of the position of an unmarried mother in Nepali society. He uses the powerful simile of a spider's web and death with every breath.
Not married-
but with a child
in a Hindu society!
What a curse!
a living corpse
breathing she dies
like a spider in a web!
(Manifold Deaths)
Subedi also prominently talks about the diaspora in his poems, where he tells the readers about 'the Aussie dream', 'Southern Cross' of Canberra, 'Port Lincoln', and 'Darling Harbour'. He also expresses his deep concerns about domestic events, bad politics and demagogues, life in Nepal, and cultural erosion. The plight of Nepali migrant workers in foreign lands and their nostalgia have also featured prominently in some of the poems. "Poems in The Colours of Sprint have a typical Nepali flavour tinged with some foreign taste," says Prof. Dr. Shreedhar Prasad Lohani.
Poems like 'Staircase' and 'Life's Adventures' present a minute observation of the progress in the life of a human being and the urge to live in the present, not to remorse the bygone days. In some poems—"Eyes=Hearts' and "Lemon"—the poet has played with the words, while a couple of them are two- and three-liners with powerful punch lines. This is a book that Nepali literature should cherish. With the entry of Subedi, English literature in Nepal has a potential and powerful writer. As Yog Chandra says in the book, "his talent for crafting powerful words reveals a deep understanding of how languages can be used to create vivid images, draw readers into familiar and unfamiliar settings, and make them feel a wide range of emotions." This is what poetry should be aimed at.
Published in The Rising Nepal daily's Friday Supplement on 16 June 2023.
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