A bilingual poet, and author of nearly two dozen books, Dr. Lalit commands a vast world view, and writes from a definite height from where he can witness the phenomenon and place it in its right place.
Dr. Jernail S. Anand | India
Poetry is immortal no doubt, but it is the output of mortal phases which impact a poet’s life. Poets are also human beings, rather too human, because they feel the pangs of joy and pain in their stetho-scopic minuteness. True poets respond not only to their own joys and pains, but they are not at all immune to the nervous pressures which the society is experiencing. It depends on the poet’s commitment that he takes into his sweep his own joys and pains, and how he connects with the society immediately defining him, and from there onwards, he goes on to address the cosmic forces. That is how a poet’s mind works, and I see this triad of multi-layered poetic consciousness at work in the poetry of Dr. Lalit Mohan Sharma.
A bilingual poet, and author of nearly two dozen books, Dr. Lalit commands a vast world view, and writes from a definite height from where he can witness the phenomenon and place it in its right place. What defines his poetry is a settled sense of equilibrium. Even when he is swayed by emotions as a result of the loss of his partner, which forms the background of this collection, his equilibrium as a human being, who understands the philosophy of life [that comes to him from his revered father, and his study of scriptures], he is quick to assay his misfortune, and returns as a chastened consciousness, to address the social and cosmic issues, with greater clarity of vision. Tragedy is always a chastening experience, but in case of Dr. Lalit, it has opened the flood gates of his poetic consciousness. The lava that was lying frozen all through, suddenly melts and starts flowing through the lines of his text.
In his collection ‘On the Edge’, Dr. Lalit seems to be on fire. His imagination is itching for expression, and thank god, he has a facile pen, and a steady treasure of words and images, which shape his feelings as the emotions flow by. The collection is marked by a deep sense of loss, darkness of despair, a sense of alienation, yet, he does not lose sight of his social self, to which he returns again and again, and his comments on the social and political scene, show a fair amount of maturity, and impartiality. What really touches the reader is that from these verses he emerges as a soul, which is incorruptible, and which cannot be silenced, which must speak, in order to find its peace.
There is so much which can be quoted to prove what I say, yet I would quote only a few poems, in which I have captured the essential Lalit, the poet, the versifier, who has his way not only with words, but also with the world at large. His greatest quality is he is not verbose. His words are just as much as needed to express an emotion. And they are precise and exact, and stick in the mind like epigrams, a tribute to his poetic craft:
Look how he comments on our emerging habit of ignoring books. And the pain is, who will challenge the leaders, if they are telling lies:
“Reading books is an archaic habit,
Who would now refute alleged lies,
Dig old history, to prove you are a liar”
[Age of Internet]Here is linguistic brilliance at it best:
“Polarizing parleys repeat a hundred times
The argument that disagrees with itself
And language falters in being indecent”
[Divisive Dialogues]How he values relationships. For him, a relationship is like “an unsigned affidavit”:
“To forge a lasting relationship, you have
To respect the other’s inclinations, and
Learn to give more than you do receive
…
It is an unsigned affidavit between the two
Be available to fulfil the vowed promise”
I am reminded of Pope’s ‘Essay on Man’ when I read these lines from the poem ‘The Little Self’:
“There may be wisdom in being wise,
Yet it’s not foolish to play the fool”
Defining the partners in marriage, ‘Be Ever Ready’ appears to be the best recipe:
“How to live like a pair of parallel lines-
Neither overlap, collide but stay together.
..
Depth in relationships leaves no space for
Mindless quarrels or corrosive emotions…”
I have picked on a few drops from an ocean of emotions, which are central to our existence. The book is a living document on our contemporary history in addition to being a personal profile of a tormented time in the life of the poet.
I find this work highly satisfying as a reader, and Dr. Lalit Mohan Sharma takes a leap forward in the world of creation with this work, which gives expression to a heightened consciousness of the self, the society and the cosmic reality. It is a brave statement on the existential challenges we face, not only at the hands of the mystery, but also as members of human community, and the poetry marked by a high sense of equilibrium gives an immortal message to withstand, and if possible, transcend these challenges which finally serve to enrich our sense of being human.
Read: Divided Humanity: Drag Back Syndrome
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Dr. Jernail Singh Anand, based in Chandigarh, is an Indian poet and scholar credited with 170 plus books of English literature, philosophy and spirituality. He won great Serbian Award Charter of Morava and his name adorns the Poets’ Rock in Serbia. He was honored with Seneca Award LAUDIS CHARTA by Academy of Arts & Philosophical Sciences, Bari, Italy 2024. He is Founder President of the International Academy of Ethics and conferred Doctor of Philosophy (Honoris Causa) by University of Engineering & Management, (UEM) Jaipur. Email anandjs55@yahoo.com
