The passions in poetry
Z.A.M. Khairuzzaman admires some new verses
Poetry is more precious than other branches of knowledge, according to famous critics and scholars throughout the course of history. When religion, science, philosophy, astrology and other branches of knowledge fail to provide a protective shield to humanity, poetry comes to the rescue. The future of poetry is immense, according to Mathew Arnold, a renowned English critic. Poetry can determine how the invention of science will be used for the betterment of mankind. `Poetry explores the blankness and irrelevance of religion which actual religion does not support'. In the modern age, we experience a bitter reality: most often scientific inventions are used to destroy civilisation. But poetry and poets always stand beside distressed humanity. In Voice of Humanity, Sheikh Nazrul's poems have appeared before us as emblematic of human love. He has expressed his feelings of love, fear, emotion and commotion in a lucid manner. Here we can easily find the truth with his poetry: The society seems as yet rolling stones/Gathering no moss, the steady decline is on! The picture goes colour from the black-n-white/The gang rape goes on all the same Black marketers still having their heydays' (Open Letter to Madhabi). Poetry is like a purgative for mental health. Sometimes, poetry expresses the sufferings of mankind to stir our emotions, whether it is the story of pain, agony, dejection and depression. The tenor of Sheikh Nazrul's poems differs from the light pleasures of normal life: And yet men have divided water and land/By barbed wire fencing where creepers. From the two divided lands thrive on/Sometimes, even, embrace in flowery garlands. But these tales of love are unknown to men/so, hectic war preparation goes on. Men use deadly weapons to kill only homo sapien!' (These Tales of Love Unknown to Them). Sheikh Nazrul's poems make us conscious of the condition of human beings in this modern age. Wake up Bangladesh/and Flash in flames/Hold gold medals in your hands Swinging in autumn wind/Reach for and touch the nose pin Of the farm maiden/With dew drops of morn stuck to legs Kiss Polash in the lips/And make some deadly love/At long intervals. Let the coitus be intimate ever/Let the embrace of the turret s even closer. In butterfly colour. (Awake Bangladesh) The underlying elements of Sheikh Nazrul's poetry are somewhat different in tone from that of others. In Voice of Humanity, the poet focuses relentlessly on human misery. For lying once only/My favourite teacher gave me five lashes/Now I understand I need five more Because I could not turn fully truthful/I forgot some of the letters both consonant and vowel And this forgetfulness was the sign of weak memory/Today I feel I ought to have forgotten more letters For, I suffer much for use of words in excess' (For Lying Once Only) He has strong passions, as in the following lines: Just drop a drop of Atlantic Ocean/In the sea that covers the heart of Bangladesh. It will dissolve beyond distinction/All will be the one and same/ With all the water bodies in a single meandering tear/The river seeks origin of others/It moves ahead in love with another.' (Manifesto) Sheikh Nazrul was born in Satkhira district on 16 November 1964. His father was a teacher who helped him write poetry in his boyhood. Being an engineer by profession, the poet did his Masters in Bengali from Khulna BL College. Nazrul is not only a poet but also a renowned rhyme-writer, columnist and short-story writer with 29 books to his credit. He has been honoured with the Sher-e-Bangla Gold Medal for his creativity.
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