(Verses from Inner of the heart)
by
Mahmuda Dewan
[Publisher: Sayeed Ahmed Anis, Kalantor Prokashoni, C/31, Zakir Hossain Road, Block-E Mohammadpur, Dhaka-1207. Published on 9th Falgun 1424/21st February 2018. Cover design: Mahmmda Dewan. Compose: Nahar Computer, Modhyo Badda, Dhaka. Printing: Agami Printing and Publishing Co, 27, Babupura, Nilkhet, Dhaka-1205. Price: Tk 300.00 US$ 8,UK £ 5.00. Distributor: Prokriti, Concord Emporium, Basement, Katabon, Dhaka-1205.
he expatriates in different countries have been contributing to the development, progress and prosperity of Bangladesh. During the great War of Liberation, the expatriates in the UK, USA and Middle East countries organized support of the world for our Independence.
It was a golden chapter during the emergence of Bangladesh.Our people in different countries are still contributing to economic development through their remittance.
The expatriate poet Mahumda Dewan, a member of New York Shahitya Academy, and a recipient of Award in 2016 from popular Face Book group ‘Maa Mati Manush’ cannot forget her motherland Bangladesh, though she left the country long ago. Her poems of love – human love, has the environment of natural scenery of Bangladesh. Thus the readers of her poems in the book Ontorer Ontoraler Ponktimala will have literary taste/flavor of two beauty : one human love, and the other-reflection of the beauty of the nature of Bangladesh.
This anthology of 64 poems of poet Mahmuda Dewan is well textured. These are adorable love-poems. The poet herself appears to have been loved in all senses for she presented us such poems of love without which human life remains inert. As a matter of fact life without love seems to be barren. I dare to translate a part of a poem of Mahmuda Dewan into English from the Bengali for the english readers as follows-
If would you come with love…
If would you come with love being a pigeon
for my mental peace and happiness,
I shall give you word, friend,
I shall remain a sparrow
in your mental sphere.
If you are a crystal clear pond or river,
I shall remain there blossomed lotus on water
and keep water
abreast the lotus leaf with care.
If you were a green tree, creeper leaf,
or ever green grass, I shall be morning dew
soaking you
being the drop of pearl
sounding
Jhir Jhir Jhir …
The very first poem of this anthology has given us a startling sense of love which is highly admirable.
However, the poet has woven such poems of love with appropriate sweet Bengali words where the songs of life seem to be heard absolutely melodious. The readers would be able to appreciate the poems highly. The depth of heart’s pathos has been enliven here profusely.
…My heart cries out shutting down mouth
for none can hear them.
My eyes cry out drying its water
so that none can see to it!…
Again at the touch of poet’s tender heart –
sorrows ooze like blood-
out of thousand troubles
in the depth of poisonous dark
my recollected deeds
of memory were overwhelmed
dusty mirage
and after a long time
today the firmament is in my blazing memory
awakened with fixed celestial star
among thousands of evening stars!…”
The poems are well adorned with pain and pleasure. The readers will enjoy them heart and soul. The title of one poem is “Dokhina batas ingite bujhe kohe jaha bonolota” ( P.33) is quoted from the poet Kazi Nazrul Islam’s famous love song Tumi sunite cheyona amar moner kotha (first line)
“Moon-lit night is around me,
I am alone in the room!
How can I put my mind at the room?
For whom should I
light the lamp
at the dark room?
I do not like to keep out my heart.
O don’t ask me.”
Besides, in the first cover flap of this book the poet herself has mentioned, “Love is the matter of heart and we see natural environment here with wider scope of our mental sphere. There’s the thirst of beauty in pleasure of love’s psychology and natural environment. The thirst for natural beauty in pleasure and pain in separation moved us where natural scenes also moved us side by side with the sadness of separation from our motherland, Bangladesh…”
Here the comment of Sayeed Ahmed Anis, the publisher about this anthology is important to note that the readers will enjoy both the fruits of human and natural love here in expectation of dream’s reality or heart rendering tears due to failure in love and its melancholy, sadness as well as pathos!
To this effect we thank poet Mahmuda Dewan for her successful presentation of verses and we greet her to our heart’s content.
The book has been dedicated to some of the respected and loved ones of the poet, closely related to her family.
We expect wide circulation of the book.
Reviewer: M Mizanur Rahman
