Author: Vivek Mishra (Translated by Amrita Bera)
Pages: 106
Year of Publication: 2009
Price: HB Rs 150, FB Rs 100
ISBN:
HB 978-81-8157-885-3 (9788181578853)
FB 978-81-8157-886-0 (9788181578860)

About the Author:
Vivek Mishra was born in Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh and the contrasting experiences of living in both a semi-urban town and a metropolitan city have greatly influenced his poems. His poems and ghazals address a wide range of issues such as poverty, the impact of globalization on smaller towns, ecological destruction and politics. He has written two collections of poetry, Maati Ka Gumbad and Bol Utthe Hain Chitra, a collection of ghazals, Duniya Ek Samandar Hai and a compilation of short stories, Hania Tatha Anya Kahaniyan. He has also written a number of documentaries. At present, he lives with his family in Delhi.

About the Translator:
Born in Kolkata, Amrita Bera later settled down in Delhi. She is trained in Indian vocal music (primarily ghazals). Her interests include reading, writing, music and traveling. This is her first published work of translations.


Teaser:

Shadows

On the shore of
a pond,
against a rock,
two shadows
were sitting
side by side,
each for itself.

One sat there,
with a bowl
in hands
rolling balls
of dough,
swatting them
in the water.

The other sat there,
with bait on the
fish-hook
for the fish
to fall prey.

Each had an
arduous need
of fish,
for its own self.

The pond was but
devoid of fishes,
why?
The shadows were
unaware.

Contents:

POEMS / 9-76

Cold-wave / 11
Desire / 14
Sunshine / 16
Remote / 17
Burger / 19
Identity / 23
Hunger / 24
Mango Grove / 26
The Growth / 29
Shadows / 31
Vacuum / 32
Stone / 33
Graveyard / 35
Shoe / 39
Light the cig from my heart / 41
Clouds / 43
Parijaat / 45
Come-back / 47
Euro clean / 49
Aids ward / 51
A third person / 52
Razor’s edge / 54
House / 56
Longing / 59
A failed poet / 60
Desire – II / 62
After that day / 63
A Face / 70
A Nightmare / 72
Four Seasons / 74

GHAZALS

1 to 20 / 77-100