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കാലടിക്കവിതകൾ
A collection of poems that resonate with the innocence and craziness of childhood written in a clear and lucid style.
300 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 2019
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September 21, 2015
Mohanakrishnan's poems are an absolute pleasure to read - and surprisingly deep, sometimes even surrealistic. A heady combination, like sweet wine which can get you drunk when you don't expect it. For example, consider the following ode to an earth-mover (of all things)!
The juxtaposition of modern machinery with childhood innocence is typical of this poet. In fact, a subtle pathos of lost childhood and that of a bullied child permeates his poetry.
Lord Krishna is also a passion with him (as with many Indian poets), but his take on him is unique. In the poem Jagadbhakshakan ("The World Eater"), he sees him as a universal consumer: as is logical, as Krishna, the irreverent stealer of butter and milk, is associated with food from childhood. The legend of Yasoda (his mother) seeing all three world's in the child's mouth, the legend of Krishna killing Putana the demoness by sucking out her life through the nipple, the legend of the Lord eating a single curry leaf out of Draupadi's pot and filling the stomachs of countless sages... all are mentioned here. In the end, the poet wills Krishna to come and steal from his heart.
Mohanakrishnan injects his innocence and humour into the discussion of serious social issues also. In his poem Ramanum Rehmanum ("Raman and Rehman" - a variant of the standard term, Ram and Rahim in Hindi, to signify the generic Hindu and Muslim), Raman is talking to Rehman, his childhood friend. The poem, which begins in chatty manner ("Hey Rehman! This is your pal Raman..."), goes to describe Raman's puzzlement at what makes them different. Various childhood exploits are remembered where both are seen to be more or less similar. Then he describes a masturbation competition (where both produced exactly equal amounts of semen) when they first discovered "that difference" between them! (The poet doesn't elaborate, but we can all guess what it is.) Then comes the last line, which packs a terrific wallop because of the childish way it's uttered:
The ultimate way to make Hindus and Muslims equal - castration.
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A terrific collection, to be read and savoured again and again.
O machine which levels mountains
When you scoop up earth with your hands
If you see something like a ball, stop;
Just give a hoot to inform us:
For we had buried it long back
In the hope that it will grow into a ball-tree.
The juxtaposition of modern machinery with childhood innocence is typical of this poet. In fact, a subtle pathos of lost childhood and that of a bullied child permeates his poetry.
Lord Krishna is also a passion with him (as with many Indian poets), but his take on him is unique. In the poem Jagadbhakshakan ("The World Eater"), he sees him as a universal consumer: as is logical, as Krishna, the irreverent stealer of butter and milk, is associated with food from childhood. The legend of Yasoda (his mother) seeing all three world's in the child's mouth, the legend of Krishna killing Putana the demoness by sucking out her life through the nipple, the legend of the Lord eating a single curry leaf out of Draupadi's pot and filling the stomachs of countless sages... all are mentioned here. In the end, the poet wills Krishna to come and steal from his heart.
Mohanakrishnan injects his innocence and humour into the discussion of serious social issues also. In his poem Ramanum Rehmanum ("Raman and Rehman" - a variant of the standard term, Ram and Rahim in Hindi, to signify the generic Hindu and Muslim), Raman is talking to Rehman, his childhood friend. The poem, which begins in chatty manner ("Hey Rehman! This is your pal Raman..."), goes to describe Raman's puzzlement at what makes them different. Various childhood exploits are remembered where both are seen to be more or less similar. Then he describes a masturbation competition (where both produced exactly equal amounts of semen) when they first discovered "that difference" between them! (The poet doesn't elaborate, but we can all guess what it is.) Then comes the last line, which packs a terrific wallop because of the childish way it's uttered:
Shall we cut that thing off?
After all, we grew up playing together...
The ultimate way to make Hindus and Muslims equal - castration.
------------------------------------
A terrific collection, to be read and savoured again and again.
Displaying 1 of 1 review