RADIATING POETIC RESONANCE AND THE SPECTRUM OF LIFE
Sushant Thapa, in recent times, has emerged as a poetic force to be reckoned with in the literary firmament. His rise as a prolific poet is a phenomenal feat of success, and that cannot be shrugged off. As a prodigy always displays talent from an early age, this is entirely true with the poet Sushant Thapa. He began scribbling poetry right from his school days and earned accolades. But Sushant took poetry seriously after he received his Master’s degree in English Literature from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in New Delhi, India.
He rather made an unassuming entry into the poetic world with his debut poetry book, "The Poetic Burden and Other Poems". The book was published by Authors Press, New Delhi, in 2020. Subsequently, a streak of success followed him as he managed to publish "Abstraction and Other Poems," published by Impspired Publication UK, 2021, "Minutes of Merit," published by Haoajan Publication, Kolkata, in 2021; and "Love’s Cradle," published by World Inkers Printing & Publishing, New York, USA, and Dakar, Senegal, Africa, in 2023. Moreover, his poems have already been published in several national and international media outlets. After having published four poetry books in succession in prestigious publications, it seems that the poet has been working hard to make his own space among the best-known poets in the country.Poet Sushant’s happiness knew no bounds when his debut poetry book, ‘The Poetic Burdon and Other Poems’ was awarded the Indology Best Poet Award 2022 from West Bengal, India. This is, of course, a matter of immense pride for a young poet who is laden with big dreams in life. Prizes and awards always work as an impetus for creative artists. Maybe this was the reason the poet Sushant Thapa, after receiving the award, pushed his pen hard and wrote one successful poetry book after another in a short span of time.
The book under review is the poet’s debut book, "The Poetic Burden and Other Poems". There are 92 poems in the book, which have duly expressed the emotive feelings of almost every strata of society. Reading those poems clearly indicates the feeling of the poet’s virtuosity and craftsmanship that he displayed through his poems.
Another striking feature of the present poetry book is that the poet has chosen simple wording to express his innermost feelings. No deliberate efforts have been made to impress readers by using literary jargon and twisting the language beyond comprehension. Actually, such wording in the poetry will only leave readers confused and bewildered. As a result, the readers stop further reading the poems.
The poet has made an observation of life as we are all living it. The poem ‘The Old Man and His Rickshaw’ exonerates the intense feelings of an old Rickshaw man. He lives in scarcity but makes an effort to find happiness among things of lesser value. The old man’s life is marred by drudgery and penury, leaving us to feel sorry for him. But that is not true at all. The old Rickshaw man’s approach to life is quite optimistic; he shows the way in which one can attain happiness and satisfaction with whatever they have. This is the art of living a simple life, and this can be learned from the life of the old rickshaw man.
The poem ‘Broken Cup of Life" is a beautiful poem that is full of life and exuberance. The poem has deep insight and profundity in meaning. A life that has fallen apart can still be assembled, emboldened, and managed well to find meaning within it. The poet writes, ‘tracing of colored lips in the destructed objects is the reality she has chosen to see’. Here, destructed objects refer to a life that has already been shattered into pieces, where if someone tries to find the joy of life it will only lead to melancholy and despondency. In this poem, the poet advises removing all kinds of artificiality and embracing life as it is without being pretentious. And this very act leads one to a state of blissfulness.
The poem ‘Green Desert’ carried a huge message to the world at a time when the mad rush of urbanization and industrialization wreaked havoc on trees and the environment. A series of concrete buildings have taken the place of those patches of forest. The poem is deeply profound, emotional, and immensely sensible. It makes one ponder how all living organisms can prolong their lives on earth without trees, laments the poet.
Almost all poems are infused with emotion and creativity. Many of them make us aware of our existence in the universe. In the meantime, featuring numerous occurrences of metaphorical instincts that leave the readers amazed and muddled at the same time.
In the rows of serious poems, suddenly the rhythm is altered, and the readers will find a poem, ‘I love what I do’. As the title suggests, the poet has become very personal here and reveals the reason for indulging in the realm of poetry.
And it is also that I write to keep the fire burning
I have a clout of a weaver
Old habits die hard
I do what I love
I love what I do
From the above-mentioned lines of the poem, it is clear the commitment and dedication of the poet to poetry and the necessity and urgency of indulging in it. Through this poem, the poet gives a clear message to the world that we should always do what we like to do in our lives. A derivation of satisfaction is only possible if we carry on the work we are drawn to but are not forced or compelled to do it.
The poet has created a spectrum of life through his 92 poems. Each poem has a new theme of life, and they are adequately dealt with in the book. Interestingly enough, the poet has not repeated the same theme again. Each time, he has taken up a new theme for his poem. This has no doubt been an outstanding feature of his poetry book.
In the poem, ‘The Power of My Future," the poet has become more like a
philosopher. His attachment and detachment from the past create a vacuum in the
present, which is filled with hope. The hope has yet not materialized, but the
poet thinks that the power of the future can even change the course of our
present, and that is the power of the future. The poet further narrates that the
power of the future has changed him so that he knows who he is and what his
capacity is.
Perhaps ‘Silence’ is the shortest poem in the anthology, but it still
carries an intense message. The poet has glorified the profundity and heavenly
blissfulness that are only possible in a state of silence. This very narrative
actually puts the poet in a different league. He writes that when life is full
of clamor, where people keep on speaking to prove themselves, many worthy
things of life like peace, satisfaction, and enlightenment are possible only in
silence. Although the poem has only seven lines, every word chosen in the poem
casts its spell on readers.
Among the short poems category, I would like to add yet another poem, ‘My
Television Set’. The poem seems to be a little bit humorous, but it is actually
not. The poet has been frugal in the use of words, but he has successfully
delivered his message, which is as pragmatic as ever. Nowadays, many people
have been enslaved by television sets. The poet writes how he wants to break
the four walls of the TV box, freeing himself from the addiction to TV and
gaining independence.
For poetry lovers, ‘The Burdon of Poetry and Other Poems’ is a fantastic
read. Well-crafted 92 poems are fully drenched in the cauldron of sweetness,
where every piece of poetry is rich in taste, flavor, and aroma beyond
imagination.
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| LB Thapa is the publisher and editor of The Hemingway Post, a literary magazine. |
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