Sushant Thapa
One thing which stands out in verses of poet Gopal Lahiri is the abstraction of ideas. Abstract imageries develop the readers’ proximity with the ideas he wants to convey. Poetry can be liquidated in a certain form when we try to express our ideas; the abstraction does not always place a concrete idea. It is our choice of words and ideas through which the language of poetry does justice its theme. We can talk about monsters in our poetry and a poem can mean what it tries to say. Monster conveys that darkness equally. Hence, abstract ideas are important. The language of poetry is the sharp weapon to convey our uniqueness. Turning that darkness into a meaning-making language is the job of a perfect craftsman.
Mr. Lahiri takes us to his world of metaphors and crucial ideas without disregarding his abstraction. Simplicity also speaks in his verses. Forming an abstraction is a unique formula. Abstraction depends on the writer and can vary from one writer to another. There is a layer of understanding that distinguishes the coherence of abstraction from one person to another. Abstraction has to convey an exact sense of meaning which should be implied easily. It involves an art and a certain level of craft.
In the starting poem in his recent collection “Alleys are Filled with Future Alphabets” master poet Gopal Lahiri takes us to a unique world. This poetry collection has different sections including Voyages in and Voyages out. The poems in voyages section really makes us part of his journey as a poet.
A monster exchanges a bunch of flowers. (First Birth).
The above-mentioned line creates a monster which can be related to our darkness, and gives it a bunch of flowers. There is still goodness in the world, despite what the world hides. What you give to the world has to be something good. Exchange the goodness and transform that badness into some ounces of goodness. There has to be another soul or body to exchange that flower; we are indebted to that bonding. You can exchange flowers in darkness; it will still be a goodness exchanged, which will be visible despite the darkness. This first poem of Lahiri has the ability to arouse the exchanging quality of goodness in readers. That is what one can finally take as a token of thought from his poems. The kind of distinction between light and dark is a lesson from his first poem in the collection. It is worthy to be noted.
Poet Gopal Lahiri says through his poems that he is searching for another I. The first thing that comes to mind when one is looking for another I is discontentment with the self. Is the poet being pessimistic? What are his reasons which made him search for another self or another I? Well, the poet is revealing that to us. We should just see what he means. This questioning of the self in a way is revealing. It made me look into Mr. Lahiri’s poems more closely. He has flowers of thought that I can see and find something equally revealing. This is a discovery. How self-critical the poet can be is seen in his observations. There is happiness somewhere in the base of his self-inquiry. It comes from his ability to discern happiness. Contentment is rewarding; it is a mirror projected from our image, and is very clear. Our self-inquiry proves that we not only exist but we learn to question it. There is an inward projection in the poem of Gopal Lahiri. The projection is partly confessional, but not wholly. Personally, I do not disregard being confessional because if there is understanding in confession we will reach a new destination in poetry. The inward projection establishes a new space for the readers of this collection by esteemed Indian poet Gopal Lahiri. We have his whole world open to us and projected through his poetry.
You are here but far beyond
real and more real! (The Other I)
In the above-mentioned lines from the poem “The Other I” the poet mentions someone else. The mingling of this another person is in tandem with the search for oneself. There is not much difference in finding the other “I” and the “you” mentioned in the poem. This is vast and it incorporates multitude. That readiness to accept someone else when one is searching for the other I is lively. That is more real to the poet. We can also say that he sees his reality in that revelation or search. How one is real when one is far is again an abstraction. Abstraction is the glue that binds all the poems of Mr. Lahiri. It is unique and captivating.
The poems in this collection “Alleys are Filled with Future Alphabets” are divided into sections. This collection has an amazing foreword written by another Indian poetess Sharmila Ray. Poet Gopal Lahiri also has haikus in this collection. He also has poems that are a tribute to Kolkata, his city. There are also poems on pandemic. This is a must-read book for all the poetry lovers. Lahiri is at his best in this collection. His travel diaries section in the book is also interesting as the poet travels a lot. I am personally moved by each and every minute lines in the book. This book reads as a whole and yet it is diverse. On humanitarian ground the poems in this collection are personal. They make us reflect and transcend inner and outer boundaries.
I am going to give the stars a call
for the undestined travel.
A parallel path of lights,
they are fresh from the other world,
they carry that beauty; they remember that magic. (Departure)
This departure is not pessimistic. There is magic in the path of lights which the stars carry and remember. This memory is carefully articulated meaning. It is a whole new dimension opening before the readers as it is very minute and holding attention.
In the above-mentioned line the poet wants to give a call to the stars for an ‘undestined’ travel. The word ‘undestined’ is what holds the power. The poet is able to challenge the destiny. It is also made possible through his ideas. This also has a sort of abstraction imbedded in it. This possibility of a higher degree is what moves the reader. The book will enthrall the readers in the time to come, and that will be everlasting.
[Reviewer Sushant Thapa is an M.A. in English from JNU, New Delhi, India. He is an English teacher by profession. A published poet, Mr. Thapa lives in Biratnagar, Nepal.]