R.K.SINGH: Indian English Poet: March 2020

Tuesday, March 31, 2020

VOCEA LITERARA (Romania) features my works

https://vocealiterara.ning.com/autori-straini/dr-ram-krishna-singh-a-valued-member-of-motivational-strips-world?edited=1&fbclid=IwAR2Pf4jaf4YUXwYy-N6Z4d8VNDSc_qm9JeUecgu_6-GRxLG5DVQ-HzTGPZw

https://www.facebook.com/groups/252154565336217/permalink/615446099007060/

“Dr. RK Singh’s mastery over micro poems reveals an epic in shorter words”

Shiju H. Pallithazheth
Founder - Motivational Strips.

“RK Singh is an asset from India to Global English poetry “

Kairat Duissenov Parman
Founder/President World Nations Writers Union.

Dr. Ram Krishna Singh is a phenomenon with a distinctive seal, with a elaborated literary manifestation, managing to extract from the word its profound essence, preserving lyrical tone, but spiritual and sublime that brought him the notoriety of the genius of contemporary Literature.

Corina Junghiatu
Vice President of the World Poets Association - Romania

Ram Krishna Singh is a reviewer, critic, and contemporary poet who writes in Indian English who has authored 47 books so far . He is one of the valued writer in “Motivational Strips”, World’s most active writers forum. Dr.Singh was born on 31 December 1950 in Varanasi, India. After earning a B.A in 1970, he gained his M.A. in English Literature from Banaras Hindu University in 1972, and his Ph.D. from Kashi Vidyapith, Varanasi, in 1981. He also obtained a Diploma in Russian in 1972.

He started his career in journalism, as a Compilation Officer in the District Gazetteers Department, Lucknow, 1973, and a Journalist with the Press Trust of India, New Delhi, 1973-74. Changing to teaching he became a lecturer at the Royal Bhutan Polytechnic, Deothang, Bhutan, 1974-76. Joining the Indian School of Mines in Dhanbad as Lecturer from 1976–83, he then rose to Assistant Professor in 1983. He has been Professor of English in the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences IIT (ISM) Dhanbad, since 1993[2] and retired as Professor (HAG) on 31 December 2015. The poet is also a recognized name in ESP (English for Specific Purposes) from India. He has evaluated about 40 Ph.D. theses from various universities. He has also edited the ISM Newsletter for about five years.

In recognition of his achievements Professor Singh has received several awards and honours, among them:

• Honorary Litt.D. from the World Academy of Arts and Culture, Taiwan, 1984;
• Fellowship of the International Poets Academy, Madras, 1987;
• Fellowship of the International Writers and Artists Association, U.S.A.1988;
• Michael Madhusudan Award, Calcutta, 1994;
• Poet of the Year Award for 1995 from the Canadian Alumni of the World University, Ontario, 1996;
• Ritsumeikan University Peace Museum Award, Kyoto, 1999;
• Certificate of Honour and Nyuusen Prize in Kumamoto International Kusamamoto Haiku Competition, Japan, 2000 and 2008;
• Diploma of Author of the Year Award, Trento, Italy, 2002;
• Ambassador-India, Poets of the World, Chile, 2008;
• Lifetime Achievement Award, Chennai, 2009;
• Distinguished Membership of The International Association of Poets, Writers and Artists (IAPWA), Albania, 2012;
• Prize of Korea Literature, Korea, 2013;
• Special Award Diogen, 2013;
• Nazar Look Prize for Poetry, Romania, 2013;
• Nominated for XXXIX Pushcart Prize,2013, 2014;
• Winner of Naji Naaman's Literary Prize for 2015

Reference:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ram_Krishna_Singh

WHERE IS FATHER?
My time is Now the day of salvation.
Where is Father?
Playing patty-cake?
I sit a potted plant
and wait at the doorstep
tumbling sun and shade
© R.K.Singh

UNDE ESTE TATĂL?
Timpul meu este Acum, ziua mântuirii.
Unde este Tatăl?
Joacă patty-cake?
Am plantat o plantă în ghiveci
și aștept în pragul ușii
rostogolirea soarelui și a lunii.
© R.K.Singh

KARMIC CHAKRA
Post-retirement awakens inner spirit:
karmic chakra from sexual loneliness
to insecurities turn inner fears into faith
cross-legging prayers climaxing love visionary hope,
wisdom narrative of helplessness
© R.K.SINGH

CHAKRA KARMICĂ

Post-pensionarea trezește spiritul:
chakra karmică din singurătatea sexuală
nesiguranțele transformă temerile interioare în credință
rugăciuni încrucișate culminează iubirea cu speranța vizionară
înțelepciunea narativă a neputinței!
© R.K.SINGH


RK Singh and then former President of India, Late A.P.J Abdul Kalam during literary exchanges.

E-mail me when people leave their comments –

Urmărește

Monday, March 30, 2020

Joseph Berolo (Colombia) translates COVID-19 into Spanish

http://www.aveviajera.org/85aosdeshojandocalendarios/id1023.html

La tercera fase de la pandemia ya comenzó con el cierre total en la India.

El primer ministro lo llama toque de queda público.

Todos pasamos días ansiosamente.

Mi alergia bronquial, tos y secreción nasal / nariz tapada, me asusta.

Sigo tomando los medicamentos recetados por el médico hace años

junto con algunos remedios caseros.

La permanencia forzada en casa debería protegernos a todos.

Mantenemos nuestros dedos cruzados.

¿Puedo compartir con ustedes un poema que compuse hoy? Aquí está.

COVID-19

Corona virus.

Punitivo,

leproso

algunos dicen

es una invasión.

Cuarentena

limpieza del pecho

tapabocas

respirando viruses desconocidos

sufriendo nuevas represiones

encierro castración,

monasticismo

resistiendo la muerte.

--Ram Krishna Singh

Tr. Joseph Berolo

The third phase of the pandemic has already started with total shut down in India.

The Prime Minister calls it Public Curfew.

We are all anxiously passing days.

My bronchial allergy, cough and runny/stuffed nose at night, frightens me.

I keep taking the medicines doctor prescribed years ago along with some home remedies.

The forced stay at home should protect us all. We keep our fingers crossed.

May I share with you a poem I composed today. Here it is.

COVID-19

Punitive

corona virus--

lépreuse

some say it's invasion

the barbarian without

quarantined

I clear my throat

behind the face mask

breathe in unknown viruses

suffer new repressions

now lockdown

cut off life:

castration

Hugo said monasticism

resisting death

--Ram Krishna Singh

From: an email by Joseph Berolo dated 29 March 2020, 22:15

The poem also appears on 'Across the Social Distances' on 10 April 2020. Here is the link:

https://acrossthesocialdistances.tumblr.com/post/614955485376937984/2-by-rksingh

Friday, March 27, 2020

Tunisian poet friend Assil Chhebi translates my poem COVID-19 into Arabic and French

قصيدة كوفيد ــ 19
الشاعر الهندي: رام كريشنا سينغ
ترجمة أصيل الشابي 26 ــ 03 ــ 2020
منتقم
فيروس كورونا هذا
الأبرص
يقول البعض إنّه غاز
بربريّ لم يُذعن
للحجر الصحي
أحكّ حلقي
تحت كمّامة الوجه
وأتنفّس فيروسات مجهولة
وأغرق في الذّعر
الآن هي لحظة الإقفال
إقفال الحياة
الطامة الكبرى
لكنّ هوغو قال يوما في الخلوة.. يُمكن مقاومة الموت

https://www.facebook.com/assil.chebbi/posts/2975800965804883?comment_id=2977030342348612&notif_id=1585299413094042&notif_t=feed_comment_reply

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=2975797569138556&set=a.563844197000584&type=3&theater

No photo description available.

COVID-19

Punitive
corona virus-
lépreuse
some say it's invasion
the barbarian without

quarantined
I clear my throat
behind the face mask
breathe in unknown viruses
suffer new repressions

now lockdown
cut off life:
castration
Hugo said monasticism
resisting death

- R K Singh

Sunday, March 22, 2020

Dr H S Bhatia's Observations on Tainted With Prayers

Observations (in a nutshell) on R.K. Singh’s

“Tainted with Prayers”

By HS Bhatia

Undeniably, “Tainted with Prayers” is an outstanding achievement of a mature mind. The most charming aspect of the work is a balance between various binary, contrary forces- inner and outer, within man and outside him, optimism and pessimism, angst and hope, and above all, sensuality and spirituality. The poet is wide awake to all human activities- 24/7, night and day, social, political, economic, religious, ritual and individualistic. In spite of certain personal observations, such as in the case of political happenings, there is no effort at propagandizing. Nowhere are the poetic thrust and consummation compromised for creating gallery-playing, impressionistic images. Certain glaring problems that torment mankind in particular, like corruption and pollution, besides terrorism and obscurantism and obstructionism, have been brought under the scanner. Then the work applies both inductive and deductive methods, that is particular as well as general to be more comprehensible and effective. Finally, it is most conveniently enjoyable by mature minds.

--Dr HS Bhatia, Indian English Poet and critic, with several publications to his credit. Now 81, Dr Bhatia lives at #284/301 near Big Byte, Street no. 1, Nandi Colony, Khanna (Punjab), India. email: hs.bhatia36@gmail.com Mob. +91 9872551552.

Tuesday, March 03, 2020

Queen Sarkar's essay on TAINTED WITH PRAYERS on SETU

https://www.setumag.com/2020/02/the-holy-constitution-corruption-and.html?m=1

The ‘Holy Constitution’, Corruption and Liberation in R. K. Singh’s 'Tainted with Prayers'

- Queen Sarkar

Assistant Professor, Rajagiri College of Social Sciences, Kakkanad, Kochi, India.

Abstract

Tainted with Prayers, by eminent Indian Poet R. K. Singh, embodies the voices of dissent against the stringent subjugation and atrocities inflicted by the political authorities. From taking up the issues of territoriality to marginality, unsparing male ego to the throes of violence and insecurity, Singh’s poems speak for the disenfranchised. The collection captures everything from –personal experiences to global trauma. Across the expanse of his poetry, R.K. Singh combines the seriousness of issues with a degree of playfulness to acknowledge the dilemmas of the armored self. The poems in this collection invite us to a space of interactive encounter with the self, disclosing the disquieting narratives created by us. Considering the fecundity of his poetic oeuvre, the article is an attempt to focus on the political, cultural, stylistic, and aesthetic nuances of Singh’s latest collection of poetry titled Tainted with Prayers.

Keywords: Dissent, Poetry, Translation, Culture, Politics, Identity, Environment

R.K. Singh has been at the forefront of poetry for well-nigh three decades. Singh has evolved to a state, where his poetry archives the lost imprints of history, captures the hollowness and confusion of the contemporary society and records the acrobatics of the heart in times of terror. In an era where dissent is being termed as illegitimate, where instances of intolerance are more pronounced than ever, where the roots of our existence are questioned, Singh’s Tainted with Prayers brings a ‘New Dawn’, “in the mind ageing fears”. For readers, the poems are arranged in such a captivating random order that you can pick up any poem and still feel connected. The nuanced and subtle semantic import, aesthetic specifications, the cultural highlights, and the elemental human predicament at the backdrop of the political dissent, acquaints the readers with the distinctive features of the collection titled Tainted with Prayers.

The concise introduction of the collection, where Singh says that the book is “dedicated to a person who recognizes the real truth and has been working for humanity, now under tremendous stress,” creates the template for the creative dexterity that Singh sews with charisma and splendor.

Intimations of reality pervade Singh’s poetry in this unspeakably dark moments. The political conflicts, the voices of dissent, the synthesis of the east and the west in Singh’s Tainted with Prayers, force us to spend more time with the poems than we anticipate. It soothes our discomfort, clings to our beliefs and awaken us to our complacency. The poems here force us to speak out our discontents on the hollowed notions of democracy, throes of violence and uncertainty, and, at the same time, help us in reimagining a syncretic world. Singh’s response to the contemporary moments of crisis in Tainted with Prayers formulates a unique visual register wrapped with bold expressions. To quote a few lines from the poem ‘Dreams of Clay’:

there is no beauty

or holiness left

in the naked nation:

the streams flow dark

and the hinges of doors moan

politics of corruption

A section of Singh’s poetry also condemns the authoritarianism, diluted with injustice and inequality. One of the glaring fears of democracy which gives the elected members an unbridled power to curtail the citizen’s right to question or disagree with the government in power is accentuated boldly in this collection. True to his poetic self, Singh expresses his discomfort with his hortatory voice and powerful mode of expression. To quote a few lines from the poem titled ‘Gourmet Journey’:

To win elections

they sponsor chaos chanting

Modi, Modi

kill tongues that utter dissent

or oppose foolishness.

Against a background of social turmoil on having an independent thought or disagreement with the elected public representatives, whether in the university campuses or outside ‘mandir and masjid’ (temple and mosques), amidst the trend of branding the people as ‘anti-national’, or ‘enemy of the country’, between the debate on ‘love jihad’ and women outfits, Singh’s poems continue to question the ideological muddle of the state, its shrinking morality, tainted by corruption, and in a way empower the readers to be adversarial towards duped narratives. In the poem titled ‘Post-Election’, Singh keeps his points explicitly. He writes:

They don't hear

the silent screams of

millions

tired of misfortune-

play games of convenience

innocent voters

sordid life-

nation's destiny

heaven-fed

There is also a strong and multilayered hue of disagreement and debate on morality and conduct, originality and virtual-reality, culture, tradition, and history that paints the laconic canvas of the poetry collection under consideration. Singh’s artistic mind finds potential for poetry everywhere, or to put it differently, every surface of the universe and every emotion invites Singh’s inscription. Warning ‘between midnight and three’, to the rituals ‘hiding helplessness/ in the luxury of prayers’, to paying for ‘peace with God through Jesus’ to the god’s denial of ‘weekly offering’, Singh’s poetry never fails to capture the pure moments of existence.

While Singh’s insights to life ‘fills up the inner space’ his poetry uses impeccable satires to arise action and engagement towards the physical space- the environment! The poems titled ‘Aftermath’, ‘Neighbors’, ‘Neighbors II’, and ‘Pollution’ point out how humans are transforming the natural landscape dramatically, and thus posing an irretrievable threat to the ecosystem. To quote the poem ‘Neighbors II’:

What could be happy

about New Year's Day

when they burn plastics

and filth on the roadside

make mud or swell smog

all day and all night

I suffer restlessness

count cows in the lane

or flies in the kitchen

neighbors love to live with

Across the expanse of his poetry, R.K. Singh combines the seriousness of issues with a degree of playfulness to acknowledge the dilemmas of the armored self. The poems in this collection invite us to a space of interactive encounter with the self, disclosing the disquieting narratives created by us. To quote a few lines from the poem ‘Depression’:

if I die today

it won't matter to any-

I have no worth

they all care for themselves

search nearest in curved space

Given the signs of escalation resulting in global turmoil- rapes, crimes against women, political violence, social media trolling, and appalling outrages, Singh’s experiments with direct allusions acquire an urgent saliency. The poems raise questions on the patriarchal code of conduct, which blueprints what a woman can/cannot do. The poet sometimes places himself in the zones of anxiety (“failure to stay focused/ and dying desires to do/ what I used to do”), burden (“I don't belong:/they curse me for what I'm not,”), trauma (“if I die today/ it won't matter to any”), heartbreak (“erase memories/ of love's pace,”), and depression (“there’s so much ruin inside and around”) which allow the readers to connect with him and at the same time confront these ordeals and breathe in “fresh air.”

The collection has also been translated into Spanish by internationally acclaimed poet, writer, and translator Joseph Berolo. Born in Bogota, Columbia, Berolo is known for uniting the poets of the world, and his translations display his art of combining erudition with delicacy, expertly covering a wide range of cultures, practices, and geographies. The founder of the United Nations of Arts, Uniletras, Berolo, magically conjures the multiple voices from across the world. The act of crossing borders, in terms of languages, breathes a new life to a text. In an era of technological advancement, offering a World Wide Web, Berolo’s translation of Tainted with Prayers allows it to travel widely across time and space by unlocking the potential differences. Transcending the borders of various kinds, the translation allows the national and the international exchange of our culture, history, tradition and our emotions. The last few lines of the introduction, where Berolo hopes for a peaceful world connected by a strong bond of friendship, actually build the bridge of peace and harmony between two cultures through poetry and also brings together the disintegrated communities. To quote Berolo:

May this work be the human and poetic link that unites the poets of Colombia and the entire universe with a strong bond of friendship through creative poetry, enough to illuminate the "surrealist, mythical, and social elements and consciousness emerging policy " of a world immersed in moral and spiritual poverty. I am sure it will reside deep within the soul and mind of our readers.

Tainted with Prayers/ Contaminado con Oraciones perfectly creates contact zones between different cultures, traditions and the citizens of the world.

References

Ram Krishna Singh (Author), Joseph Berolo (Editor, Translator, Foreword), Sonia Herrera Muñoz (Illustrator). Tainted with Prayers: Contaminado con Oraciones. Colombia: Editorial Ave Viajera S.A.S., 2019, Pp. 64, ISBN 978-1650109237. May also be viewed on http://www.aveviajera.org/nacionesunidasdelasletrasuniletras/id1386.html

“85 Years Deflating Calendars.” Aveviajera.org, www.aveviajera.org/85aosdeshojandocalendarios/id987.html?fbclid=IwAR2DMp9tPSAxGf_iikCn8tWtxqMcFfz_gaZToMn5Ac2eWCmqdr3muPw-B_Q.

“Beginning of Flight Ave 2003.” Inicio Del Vuelo, aveviajera.org/?fbclid=IwAR22p48dXKw-RA8-8Ek0biT3Ez2D5k2u_E7ZKchbov9K-vXwZnhg-4LCVyo.

“United Nations of Letters-Uniletras Opinion Messages.” Mensajes De Opinion, www.aveviajera.org/nacionesunidasdelasletrasuniletras/id1211.html?fbclid=IwAR3bBU3lKBDunD_vo4OFRqU2WNHVOePevRm7_jZqMex9BegPi1crNi9ASEc.

Short Bio

Queen Sarkar

Queen Sarkar is an Assistant Professor of Communication at Rajagiri College of Social Sciences, Kakkanad, Kochi, India- 682039. She has done her Ph.D. in Contemporary Indian English Poetry from IIT Kharagpur. Her paper titled “A Song for Every Voice: Tales of Dissent in Karthika Nair’s Until the Lions” got selected in the 2018 KFLC: The Languages, Literatures, and Cultural Conferences, organized by The University of Kentucky, Lexington. In addition to this, she has also presented and published her papers in reputed International Journals, and poems in International anthologies. She has worked on New Zealand literature and the precarious existence of women in the sex industry and its subculture during her M.Phil. She has also played the character of “Lata” for Indian Director, playwright, actor, and writer, Mahesh Dattani’s Play Dance Like a Man, organized by the Department of English, Banaras Hindu University.
email: queensarkar.08@gmail.com

R. K Singh

R. K. Singh: A reviewer, critic, and contemporary poet R.K. Singh is the author of more than 160 research articles and 175 book reviews. His poems have been translated into French, Spanish, Romanian, Albanian, Crimean Tatar, Arabic, Chinese, Serbian, Croatian, Slovene, Japanese, Bulgarian, German, Italian, Portuguese, Greek, Esperanto, Kannada, Tamil, Hindi, Punjabi, Telugu, and Bangla. About 70 full-length articles on his poetry have been published from 1988-2011. In recognition of his achievements, Professor Singh has received several awards and honours, among them an Honorary LittD from the World Academy of Arts and Culture, Taiwan, 1984, Fellowship of the International Poets Academy, Madras, 1987, Fellowship of the International Writers and Artists Association, USA, the Michael Madhusudan Award, Calcutta, 1994, Poet of the Year Award, 1995 from the Canadian Alumni of the World University, Ontario, Ritsumeikan University Peace Museum Award, Kyoto, 1999, Certificate of Honour and Prize in Kumamoto International Kusamamoto Haiku Competition, Japan, 2000, Lifetime Achievement Award, Chennai, 2009, and distinguished membership of the IAPWA, Albania, 2012.
Website: http://rksingh.blogspot.com; https://profrksingh.wordpress.com

Setu, February 2020

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Please also view Queen Sarkar's essay on Ave Viajera:

http://www.aveviajera.org/nacionesunidasdelasletrasuniletras/id706.html?fbclid=IwAR3RMYlcX-J5z0BDPqRgo_yXVmnhPCJaJKAAf6tjG9Tokdt2VPAg4UvbHts

R.K.SINGH: Indian English Poet