Ancient land rising out of poetry
M. Abdul Hai swims out to nostalgia
The oldest written works in the world all come in some poetic form. However, we all know that poetry as an art had been adopted by primitive people before they became literate, because it was convenient for them to express their thoughts in verses which could be memorized and carried to other people. In the absence of any written forms, they could easily store those verses in their memory. Hence the use of verses to transmit their experience attained widespread popularity even in those primitive days. "Verse (poetry) and music are a match made in heaven" This implies that a verse or poetry has some rhythms that help it to be easily adopted as a song. However, you do not see rhyme in poetry- in- prose or blank verse, but it also has its own rhythm and music. Brooks running over a plain will not create noisy rock music, but definitely will produce a soft soothing sound that will offer the comfort and pleasure of tranquility. The poems in Looking Back On The Roots by Saidur Rahman have similar effects. Saidur Rahman, a journalist by vocation, is one among a few Bangladeshi poets who have shown the rare courage of using English in their blank verse. Using all grammatical structures and natural flow of speech rather than rhythmic patterns, the poet has quite successfully reached his literary excellence. His poems are focused more on narrative and objective truths rather than metres and rhythms. Looking Back which is a collection of poems written in English deserves appreciation and applause for two very important reasons. First, it is a book for those readers who have been educated in English medium schools, and those who so long have thought that a book of their taste had not yet been written. The second reason is that is the most appropriate book for them for a glimpse of rural Bangla. It reveals Bangladesh with its colours, sights and sounds. Looking Back is not only entertainment but also a window to real life in our villages. The poems, therefore, carry enormous importance for those who had their upbringing in villages, but now live in cities for earning a living. In fact, we all have our roots in the village. So by reading the poems here, one can easily transport oneself to one's early days in the village. The nostalgic feelings of the poet are also shared by most urban dwellers, living as they do in urban chaos and confusion. Saidur Rahman's poems do not transport you away into the world of the imagination, but rather bring you back to reality. Looking Back On The Roots is a real journey back to our childhood days when we were close to corn fields, trees, bushes, rivers and flowers. They all gave us childhood care and affection for our sound upbringing. Like the poet, we feel like having a dip in the crystal water of the ponds in our tranquil villages. The silence, the greenery and the freshness that we all crave for still await us in our rural homes. The poet feels that the village still beckons him "in an amazing affection". This is a feeling we all share. "Poetry is language at its most distilled and most powerful", as Rita Dove, an American writer, notes in her For the Love of Books. I think this goes well as far as Rahman's poems are concerned. Having been a serious student of English literature, he has mastered the skills of language and learned the perfect use of figures of speech. It is for this reason that I would very much like all graduates of English medium schools and also those who have a liking for the language to just read the first poem, because then they will be tempted by the amazing dexterity of the poet to read the remaining poems. The poet's love of the language will instill an urge in many to look back and explore the beauty in the language he has used. In his discussion of both rural and urban topics, with occasional mention of global issues, the poet shows a deep level of insight, but what attracts us most is his ability to discuss these topics with an extremely affectionate personal touch. This is particularly true in his poems relating to rural themes. This is revealed in the interesting piece titled " Nostalgia" which starts thus: "calm and serenity dominate this place, away from the city's din bustle". And "Vast stretch of greenery soothed their hungry eyes" in "Far from Madding Crowd" invites us, urban dwellers, to take a break and dive into the freshness of the villages. This will help transform our over-stressed mind and body into refreshed and regenerated ones. "Noon and the Belle" depicts a forlorn rural woman with her heartache and loneliness, as her dearest person is away, toiling in foreign land for a livelihood. "Two springs have rolled by, the man of heart is far away from her". This line occurring in "Noon and The Belle" sufficiently narrates the anguish caused to a woman as her husband is away. This is a common painful experience of many of our women, living in different villages. A quick reading of this piece will enable readers to experience the pain these women suffer. The Buriganga has been an inseparable part of life in Dhaka. "The Boatman of the Buriganga" is a representative character who laments the days of his youth when he was able to earn enough by ferrying people between two banks of the Buriganga. He is sad to be redundant due to his old age. Scores of chaotic thoughts, as the poet puts it, overtake his already fatigued mind. "Monsoon Rain and Random Thoughts" is an honest account of the problems and vices of urban life which continue to diminish human dignity. This poem will create awareness among us and will guide on to the right track. Saidur Rahman's work bears powerful witness to his own experience as a person who dearly loves his country. His keen observation digs deep into the natural phenomena of our land. The distinctive personal sensitivities of the poet also capture the minute details of the rural landscape, which otherwise would have gone unnoticed. The poems are also a testimony to his embracing the typical Bangladeshi values which truly define our collective identity. Reading the poems will create a feeling of overpowering joy, and readers will also love the crisp whisper while turning the pages. A reader curled up on a coach, at the moment of opening the book, will voluntarily have his world fall away and enter another created by the poet.
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