Reflections from the Heart- Anthology of 100 Poems by Dr Bhaskar Bora, Merry Baruah, and Santanu Phukan easily emerge as one of the scintillating displays of raw emotions emanating out of the heart of these three poets. This anthology, containing 100 mesmerising poems, makes the readers anticipate every line when they are being read which reiterates the thrust it exerts. One can find a gripping and potent force which belies the surface of the anthology thereby making it situated right in the hearts of the readers. As nonchalant as it can get, the poems that this anthology carries, open up a multitude of ideas and emotions that these poets nurture in their minds and soul. They, at once, make the readers introspect and reflect upon the myriad ways in which life can lead to the life of an individual. Anyone familiar would Bhaskar Bora, one of the writers of this anthology, would know how troublesome and painstaking his life has been. But, through the poems which are on show for us, the readers, in this anthology, he has almost demolished and dismantled the hurdles of life to emerge as an example; an epitome of unflinching determination and untainted courage. The poems become emblematic in nature, in that, they are so deep in their thoughts and so relentless in the ways they are presented to the readers.
The foreword to the book, written by the eminent North-eastern writer, Mitra Phukan reiterates the structural base of the poems which are the cumulative outcome of the different sweet and bitter experiences of the three poets in their lives. The ups and downs, the verisimilitude of experiences that the three poets of this anthology have encountered in their lives have indeed paved the way for their emotions to take shape of the poems in this book. Significantly enough, the poems, of that, although very personal when it comes to the experiences of the poets, contain in them the trait of being ubiquitous in nature. One can feel the influence of these poems in the common-day living of every individual which makes the readers comprehend the inherent essence which every poem carries within its lines. That said, the poems also contain an essence of being commonplace in nature, in that, they can easily be grasped and comprehended by any individual. The anthology can be called exquisite in its outlook and intense in its presence in terms of the depth it carries in it as the poems are the result of the experiences of the poets, some of which are soul-stirring for normal readers.
The anthology gets divided into three parts with the poems of Bhaskar Bora covering a major chunk of the anthology. His poems, in particular, not only act as motivation for the readers but also provides them with the space to deeply contemplate the pain which he has endured in his life. The poems, thus, can easily be regarded as the totalising result of different lived experiences and situational circumstances which pioneered the feelings to take the shape of words, and finally into poems. A doctor by profession, to have led his life in a wheelchair after some kind of difficulties related to neurosurgery, is indeed heart-wrenching. Poetry, then, can be said that, acts as the outlet for him to vent out his turmoil and the emotions of the mind. A lot of poems in this anthology by him depict the angst the poet has gone through in his life which makes the anthology even more fast-paced in its approach. Although the fatal neurosurgery complicacy led to disability in terms of making him immobile, it was poetry and the emotions of his heart that laid the foundation for engaging in creative output. Although he was immobile physically, the poems penned down by him have well and truly made him move places in the hearts of the readers. The poems, if they are to be discerned, are equally inspirational and soothing as there is an air of homely atmosphere in their presentation, some of which concern his family members. Poems like “A Moment or Two,” “My Land of Dreams,” “The War Within” etc. speak of the versatility that the poet has showcased while flaunting his artistic genius. The following lines from the poem “Unity in Diversity” act as a notable example of the creative power of the poet:
“White, black, yellow
I’m brown, by the way.
Two eyes, one nose
A fine heart, an open mind
I’m also a human, by the way.”
The title “Reflections from the Heart” speaks volumes in itself as the poems of the three poets become the straightforward reflection and introspection of different events and situations which they have come across in their lives. That the human heart can carry multitudes of emotions and feelings gets well reiterated by the poems which, on occasions, more than one, have pierced the hearts of the readers with their potency. The poems, all of them, definitely transport the readers to a state of awe with their display of brilliance concerning the thoughts and ideas. Like Bhaskar Bora’s poems, Merry Baruah’s poetry depicts the confronting situations of a lady who has to carry out multiple roles in society. As a working lady, it can easily be understood that maintaining a sheer balance between professional and personal life is indeed a tedious task. Her poems can be called the emblematic representation of the inner state of the turmoil of every lady who is working in a professional field in modern-day society. Significantly enough, one can find her poems to be a plea to acknowledge the efforts which every working woman in society strives for striking the chord of balance in the family and the workplace. The poems, if observed keenly, can be argued to be epitomes of the different roles played by a woman working in society which almost relegates the subjectivity of the self.
Poems like “Rendezvous With Self,” “The Fragrance of the Night Queen,” “A Chain of Moments,” “A Season of Bloom” etc. vividly epitomise the essence of the diversified experiences which an individual, particular a woman, comes across in her life. The poems beget hopes and aspirations for ladies, working ones, in particular, to mould their lives as per their desires so that they do not get confined within the shackles of society. One can feel that the syntactical structures which are used in the poems are a clear outpouring of the heart of the poet which makes the title of the anthology all the more apt. The poems provide a space for the readers to almost view the world in its different hues and forms which sometimes estrange themselves to envelop human living. The following lines from one of her poems “A Chain of Moments” are a clear example of this aspect:
“The night is just another one
Dark and quiet
Except for the beating heart
And hope for a different tomorrow.”
The last twenty poems of the anthology are penned down by Santanu Phukan which brings the anthology to a complete circle with the wide-encompassing range that the poems exhibit. Simply put, his poems can very easily be regarded as the cumulative result of the variegated experiences that he has gained during his long career as a teacher for thirty-seven years. The poems depict a phantasmagorical experience to the readers as they make numerous pictures and images flash right in front of the eyes of the readers while they are being read. There is push and a punch in every line of the poems which grants a well-knit and compact structure to the entire arrangement of the tonal quality of the poems. Whenever a particular poem is being read, the readers inevitably, more often than not, find themselves amused and thrilled with the depiction of the characters like Joe Gargery, Miss Havisham etc. Along with the poetry, there is a feeling of transportation to a different illusory world, a world which both excites and entices the readers.
Starting from the use of notable Dickensian characters to the use of religious attributes in poems like “Janmashtami,” the poems encapsulate the cacophonic world of the poet which is rich in temperament and optimism. An urge to enjoy life, albeit very subtle and delicate, guides the formulation of the variety of the subjects of the poems. The poems also act as an inspiration for everyone to enjoy life to the full extent. The extent of diversity can be experienced in his various poems like “The Bordoisila of Wuhan Wasted Years,” “Create Memories, My Friend,” “When I Am Gone” etc. All these poems sum up the essence of life which the poet tries to encompass and encapsulate in his poems. It is through the poems that the different ranges of experiences of not only this particular poet but also the other poets come out to the forefront.
This anthology, thus, becomes a rich veritable storehouse of different kinds of experiences and circumstances that the poets have been witness to in their lives. As rich a text can be, this anthology stands on its own with the succinct and subtle display of topics and themes which are way too poignant at times to introspect. What is noteworthy about the poems is that they contain a small piece of information to make the readers know about the inherent tale which has given rise to every poem. Sensible yet poetic, subtle yet mesmerising, the poems give rise to a feeling of optimism in the minds of the readers for they make one lead his or her life wrapped in the gift of joy and excitement, come what may. To say the least, this anthology is a treasure which needs to be treasured with utmost care and affection. At a personal level, reading the poems written by my teachers (Merry Ma’am and Santanu Sir) is an overwhelming experience which I would cherish and relish in the days to come. This short piece of review of the anthology from my side is to showcase my sincere gratitude towards them; the two instrumental pillars of my life in shaping and moulding my career. As their student, I consider this as my lucky privilege and will forever remain indebted to them.
Dr Bhaskar Bora, Merry Baruah, Santanu Phukan, Reflections from the Heart- Anthology of 100 Poems (All India Forum for English Students, Scholars and Trainers, first edition, 2022), Pages 119, Price- Rs. 325, Paperback, ISBN- 9781637544655, 1637544650
Abhilash Kaushik
PhD Research Scholar
Department of English, Cotton University, Guwahati, Assam.
