Voices Within: Kiriti Sengupta

Kiriti Sengupta is an award-winning poet, translator, editor, publisher and festival planner, based at Calcutta, India. Details at kiritisengupta.com

The Resurrection

Slumber unfolds its arms as it wakes up. The tiny particles scattered in the air absorb the sunlight; they seem to be delighted and drone the song of liberation. Sleep is now conscious like the attraction between mother and her new-born.

Flawlessly arranged, the room for hard work is yet to mark the advent of fatigue. At a distance, the mother awaits her demonstration in sweat and grime.

Rostrum

Hierarchies exist in literature.

Diplomacy holds many colors on

its sleeves. Why blame shades

for dissociation?

Poetry is hardly audible,

audience witness smiling

poets on the dais.

O’ Girl

As a woman you’re never alone—

you may not be impressed by the gazes

when you come out,

they will follow wherever you go.

‘Single mother’ is a misnomer—

you may not bear a fetus in your womb

you may not have a partner for leaning to

but then,

there is always a child to look after,

the one prior to the one in you.

Unity

Some words are best hyphenated. 

Take self confidence—

it points at composure

or its absence. 

Hyphen springs it to consciousness—

it vaunts the union. 

Voices Within - Complete List of Poets :: Setu, January 2019