NEW SLAVERY

 My poem published in 

Lit eZine Vol 10 | p-6 | POETRY | New Slavery

 

NEW SLAVERY
Short Poem by R.K. Singh

 

From the 15th floor window I watch
dreams racing on the muddied road
the ugly beauty of tomorrow

the romance of the miserable
the egotist   the cunning   the heart-broken 
the idealist   the maniacs   the enlightened cheats

the crafty and the unlucky too
who conceal cavities in their shoes
in the gallery of the great tech game

fabricating newer lies and hypocrisies
of saffron politics   secular faith  and people’s power
spilling blood to heal a history of wrongs

create new cultural fantasy
new racism   new slavery
homegrown narcissistic lords and ladies

Ram Krishna Singh, an Indian poet who writes in English,  is the author of several books of poetry including Sense and Silence: Collected Poems (2010), Growing Within/Desăvârşire lăuntrică (English/Romanian, 2017), Tainted With Prayers/Contaminado con oraciones (English/Spanish, 2019), Covid-19 And Surge of Silence/Kovid-19 Hem Sessízlík Tolkȋnȋ (English/Tatar, 2021), 白濁: SILENCE: A WHITE DISTRUST (English/Japanese, 2021), Knocking Vistas And Other Poems (2024), and Leaves of Silence (2025). A recipient of Ritsumeikan University Peace Museum Award, Kyoto, 1999 and Winner of Naji Naaman’s Literary Prize for 2015, R.K.Singh is a retired Professor of English at IIT-ISM, Dhanbad.

 

https://manicsylph.com/lit-ezine-vol-10-p-6-poetry-new-slavery/ 

Ram Krishna Singh البعد النفسي والاجتماعي في نصوص الشاعر والأديب

 

Ram Krishna Singh البعد النفسي والاجتماعي في نصوص الشاعر والأديب     

 

يرى البعض أن الهايكو ، وهو نوع من الشعر الياباني الكلاسيكي يهدف إلى التقاط

لحظة زمنية عابرة وموجزة لمشهد من الطبيعة،والتعبير عنها بألفاظ مكثفة موحية

و موجزة ،و بصورة مدهشة...ودون أن نخوض في الخصائص الأساسية للهايكو

التي يمكن أن نوجزها في ثلاثة أسطر والتي تعتمد على البساطة والإيجاز 

والتكثيف ولحظة الدهشة..هذه الخصائص المتجسدة بشكل جلي في نص للأب 

الروحي للهايكو ،الشاعر الياباني "ماتسو باشو "

 

بركة قديمة

ضفدع يقفز فيها

صوت الماء .

 

 قلت دون أن نخوض في هذه الخصائص يرى البعض، وليس الكل، أن هذا الصنف

الأدبي يجب أن يقتصر في الوصف على الطبيعة فقط تماما مثل النص السابق 

هو جزء من الطبيعة ،و أن التطور والتقدم الذي عرفته المجتمعات والحضارة 

ومن المجتمع ومن النفس ،ذلك لأن الإنسان كائن اجتماعي يتفاعل مع  الظواهر 

الإنسانية بصفة عامة يفرض على الأدب أن يلتقط صورا شاعرية من الطبيعة

ومن المجتمع ومن النفس ،ذلك لأن الإنسان كائن اجتماعي يتفاعل مع  الظواهر

الطبيعية والاجتماعية ،تؤثر فيه ويؤثر فيها، ومن خلال هذا التأثير والتفاعل تتبلور

شخصيته ،إذ لا يجب أن ننسى مدى دور التقاليد والعادات والأعراف والدين،والقيم

..في تحديد هوية الشخص ..الإنسان كما يقال هو كتاب تعاونت على تأليفه كل

من الطبيعة والمجتمع .

لا شك إذن أن الإنسان هو ابن بيئته وابن طبيعته يؤثر فيها وتؤثر فيه فتكون

وتحدد شخصيته..

من هذا المنطلق نجد في عصرنا هذا بعض الأدباء الذين يسبرون أغوار الطبيعة 

Ram والنفس والمجتمع والفلسفة كذلك ومن أبرز هؤلاء الشاعر والأديب الهندي 

 Krishna Singh لقد أضاف هذا الأديب الكبير  لمسات غنية وعميقة في شعر 

الهايكو، والحق يقال لست متخصصا في النقد الأدبي حتى أحلل وأناقش بما فيه

الكفاية أعمال هذا الكاتب الكبير، ولكن ومع ذلك فبصفتي متذوق حديث ومبتدئ

في هذا الفن ، فإنني سأحاول  أن أتناول بعض نصوصه بالتحليل والقراءة لبعض

الظواهر الاجتماعية والنفسية التي التقطها بصورة مكثفة، عميقة ومدهشة

،وذلك حسب ذوقي وبعد إذنه طبعا..

النص الأول:

جندي

 

يخوض بداخله

بأقنعة السعادة نخفي

وجوها مرهقة

 

قبل العودة إلى الوطن، هناك غربة يعيشها المغترب في البلاد الأجنبية ،هذه

الغربة التي فرضتها عليه ظروف الحياة،إما طلبا للرزق وإما طلبا للعلم

والمعرفة..وما يصادفه أثناء مقامه من إحساس بالعزلة والوحدة وربما التهميش

والتمييز..كل هذه الظروف تجعل من المغترب إنسانا شقيا تعيسا يعاني في

صمت..لكن عند رجوعه إلى وطنه يحاول جاهدا أن يخفي شقاءه ومعاناته أمام

أهله وأصدقائه ومجتمعه، وذلك بارتداء قناع السعادة ليخفي وجهه الحقيقي ..

النص الثالث

أحاسيس الشيخوخة

تسيطر على الذاكرة

أحزان عميقة

 

مرحلة الشيخوخة مرحلة حساسة في عمر الإنسان، إنها مرحلة تتسم وتتميز

بالضعف والمرض والعزلة،نعم يعاني المسن في هذه المرحلة أكثر مما سبق

،فتظهر أمراض نفسية وعقلية وجسمية، ويحتاج المريض إلى من يساعده خاصة 

إذا كان مقعدا أو من ذوي الاحتياجات الخاصة، سواء في منزله أو في دار 

العجزة،وقد يحس بالوحدة والعزلة، وأن الناس لم يعودوا يهتمون به كالسابق، خاصة انه أفنى عمره من أجل إسعاد الآخرين فيدخل في متاهة الحزن والاكتئاب..
أكتفي بهذه النصوص وأتمنى  أن أكون قد وفيتها بعض ما تستحق من تحليل وقراءة للمعاني الظاهرة والكامنة، وأقدم  للقارئ الكريم نصوصا أخرى في هذا الإطار لشاعرنا وأديبنا الكبير Ram Krishna Singh  وذلك للتمعن والقراءة 
 

الشوارع المزدحمة

تتحرك فيما بين سنوات

الوجوه البائسة

 

على دراجة

يبيع باقات الورد

ويغزل الأحلام

 

يبحثان عن طعام

في قمامة الشارع

كلب وفتاة 

 

معدة خاوية

أجمل فراغ

رمضان

 

محمد بوكدم

Bougdam Mohamed 

 

Translation of the article via Google Translate:

 

The Psychological and Social Dimension in the Works of Poet and Writer Ram Krishna Singh 

 

Some hold the view that haiku—a form of classical Japanese poetry aiming to capture a fleeting, brief moment in a natural scene and express it through evocative, concise, and condensed language that evokes a sense of wonder—should be restricted solely to descriptions of nature. This perspective aligns with the famous poem by the "spiritual father" of haiku, the Japanese poet Matsuo Bashō: 

An old pond 

A frog jumps in 

The sound of water. 

However, without delving into the fundamental characteristics of haiku—namely its three-line structure, simplicity, brevity, condensation, and the "moment of wonder"—it is worth noting that while some argue for this strict focus on nature, others believe the genre need not exclude social and psychological realms. After all, human beings are part of nature. Furthermore, the evolution and progress of societies and human civilization generally compel literature to capture poetic images drawn from nature, society, and the human psyche alike. Humans are social beings who interact with natural and social phenomena; they influence these phenomena and are influenced by them, a dynamic process through which their personalities are shaped. We must not overlook the significant roles played by traditions, customs, social norms, religion, and values ​​in defining individual identity; indeed, as the saying goes, a human being is a book co-authored by both nature and society. There is no doubt, then, that a human being is a product of their environment and nature—influencing them and being influenced by them—which shapes and defines their personality. From this perspective, we find contemporary writers who delve into the depths of nature, the human psyche, society, and philosophy. Among the most prominent is the Indian poet and writer Ram Krishna Singh. This distinguished writer has brought rich, profound nuances to the art of haiku. Admittedly, I am not a literary critic qualified to fully analyze or discuss the works of such a great writer; however, as a novice with an appreciation for this art form, I will attempt to analyze some of his texts. I aim to explore the social and psychological phenomena he captures with such intensity, depth, and striking insight—doing so according to my own sensibilities and, of course, with his permission.

 Text One: 

Soldier 

Waging, within, 

The war of the night 

The poet illustrates the soldier's state and inner feelings; he lives through two hells. There is the hell of war against the adversary—or the "enemy" (in quotation marks, for the ordinary soldier has no personal enemy). He wages war by day, constantly exposed to the risk of death, yet he also fights another war by night. This time, the battle is not fought with bombs and bullets; it is a psychological war. It is the deprivation of his wife and the inability to satisfy his sexual instincts; it is the lack of affection and tenderness—specifically the love of children, family, relatives, and loved ones—all of whom he has left behind and may never see again. This deprivation haunts him and robs him of sleep; it is yet another fierce war he must wage.

 Text Two: 

Return Home 

Behind masks of happiness, we hide 

Weary faces 

 

Before the return home, there is the estrangement experienced by the expatriate in a foreign land—an alienation imposed by life's circumstances, whether in pursuit of... ...whether seeking a livelihood or pursuing knowledge and learning. The sense of isolation, loneliness, and perhaps even marginalization and discrimination encountered during their stay—all these circumstances turn the expatriate into a wretched, unhappy soul suffering in silence. Yet, upon returning home, they strive to conceal this misery and suffering from family, friends, and society, donning a mask of happiness to hide their true face.

 Text Three:

 

The Sensations of Old Age 

Deep sorrows 

Dominate the memory 

 

Old age is a delicate stage in human life—a phase characterized by frailty, illness, and isolation. Indeed, the elderly suffer more during this period than before; psychological, mental, and physical ailments emerge. The individual requires assistance—especially if bedridden or living with special needs, whether at home or in a care facility—and may feel lonely and isolated, sensing that people no longer care for them as they once did. Having spent a lifetime trying to bring happiness to others, they may find themselves lost in a labyrinth of sorrow and depression. 

I will conclude with these texts, hoping I have done justice to the analysis and interpretation of both their manifest and latent meanings. I also present to the esteemed reader further texts in this vein by our great poet and writer, Ram Krishna Singh, for reflection and reading. 

Crowded streets 

Moving through the years 

Wretched faces 

 

On a bicycle 

Selling bouquets of roses 

And weaving dreams 

 

Searching for food 

In the street's refuse 

A dog and a girl 

 

An empty stomach 

The most beautiful emptiness 

Ramadan 

 

 

Mohamed Bougdam 

Searching My First Haiku

 My short reflective article SEARCHING MY FIRST HAIKU appears on Afflatus Creations, April-June 2026.

https://afflatuscreations.com/index.php/current-issue/ 

The article  is of historical/academic importance for World Haiku Practitioners interested in studies of Haiku in India. 

 

Awarded Aphrodite Prize , 2025

 My haiku wins the Aphrodite Award 2025 at Ludbreg : after the tumble/buried between the sheets/leftover passion

 

 

60th-marriage-anniversary-lunch

 My poem appears on Spillwords 

https://spillwords.com/60th-marriage-anniversary-lunch/

Dr Tabinda Shamim's review of LEAVES OF SILENCE

https://www.thebookreviewindia.org/articulating-the-unsayable-silence-self-and-society/

The Book Review India 

June 2026, volume 50, No.6

Professor Ram Krishna Singh is a distinguished poet, translator, and academic, renowned for his extensive contributions to Indian Writing in English and his mastery of the haiku and tanka. His Leaves of Silence is a contemplative and intellectually layered poetry collection that interrogates the fractured condition of modern existence through a deeply personal yet socially engaged poetic voice. The collection traverses a wide spectrum of themes—alienation, political disillusionment, spiritual quest, ecological anxiety, and the erosion of human relationships—while experimenting with diverse poetic forms.

The opening poems establish a pervasive sense of disconnection that characterizes modern society. The poet foregrounds the difficulty of forging meaningful human connections in an increasingly fragmented world. This alienation is accompanied by profound uncertainty, where emotional states are suspended in a liminal condition—waiting, searching, and anticipating resolution that never fully arrives. The recurring motif of ‘waiting’ becomes emblematic of existential inertia, as the speaker oscillates between hope and despair. Even attempts to invoke fortune or divine intervention, symbolized through talismanic imagery, culminate not in revelation but in silence, suggesting the futility of relying on external forces for meaning.

A significant thematic strand in the collection is the poet’s engagement with mortality and the transient nature of life. The anticipation of death is not merely a biological inevitability but an existential horizon that shapes reflections on memory, aging, and loss. The poems evoke a poignant sense of temporal fragility, where love fades, relationships disintegrate, and individuals are left with haunting remnants of emotional attachments. The notion of ‘emotional divorce’ becomes particularly striking, encapsulating the quiet dissolution of intimacy in loveless relationships. This emotional desolation is further intensified by a creeping loneliness that is both unsettling and inescapable.

The collection also contains strong autobiographical undertones in poems such as ‘Lasting Marks’, ‘Life Unlived’, ‘In Patna’, and ‘Sleep Divorce’, wherein the poet articulates a deeply personal sense of abandonment and unfulfillment. The voice that emerges is unapologetically candid, exposing vulnerabilities without succumbing to self-pity. Parallel to its introspective concerns, Leaves of Silence is sharply attuned to socio-political realities. In poems such as ‘General Election’, ‘Abandoned’, ‘Systematic Romance’, ‘Heritage’, ‘Absurd Maze’, and ‘Freedom’, the poet employs satire and biting imagery to critique contemporary political culture, exposing what he perceives as the moral bankruptcy of political leadership. The depiction of politicians as a ‘valueless generation’ underscores a deep-seated disillusionment with governance and public life.

The collection addresses the corrosive impact of modernity on human consciousness. The striking comparison of television screens to ‘dragon fire that swallows bloom’ encapsulates the destructive influence of media and technology, which consume creativity and diminish authentic human experience. The poet laments the loss of ancient wisdom, which has been supplanted by fear, anxiety, and an unrelenting ‘rat race’. In a world devoid of inherent purpose, the act of seeking itself becomes a form of resistance.

Environmental concerns also find expression in the collection, reflecting awareness of the ecological crisis. The imagery of a ‘toxic’ poetic mind serves as a metaphor for the pervasive contamination of both the natural world and human consciousness. The ongoing ‘assault on earth’ underscores the urgency of addressing climate change, suggesting that even the imaginative realm is not immune to environmental degradation.

The collection’s exploration of love and relationships is marked by a sense of disillusionment and longing. The poems depict a world in which loyalty has eroded and emotional connections have become tenuous. Yet, amidst this bleakness, there remains a persistent yearning for love and intimacy. The poem ‘Body’s No Picnic’ exemplifies the poet’s respect for women and his ability to portray sensuality with sensitivity and depth. The interplay between desire and loneliness creates a complex emotional landscape, where the search for connection is both necessary and fraught with disappointment.

Leaves of Silence is notable for its experimentation with multiple poetic traditions. The inclusion of haiku and tanka reflects an engagement with Japanese aesthetics, characterized by brevity, precision, and evocative imagery. These shorter forms distill philosophical insights and sensuous experiences into compact expressions, offering moments of clarity within the broader thematic density of the collection. The four-liners, too, function as aphoristic reflections, encapsulating the poet’s worldview.

The poet’s use of cultural and religious references further enriches the text. Allusions to biblical narratives coexist with references to Indian cultural sites such as the ghats of Banaras and the Mahakumbh, creating a syncretic framework that reflects a pluralistic vision. These references not only ground the poems in specific cultural contexts but also underscore the universality of the themes they address.

Ultimately, Leaves of Silence is a meditation on the paradoxes of contemporary existence. It captures the tension between hope and despair, connection and isolation, faith and scepticism. While the collection is imbued with a sense of melancholy, it is not devoid of hope. The poet’s recognition of the power of his own pen suggests a belief in the enduring significance of artistic expression in poems such as ‘I’m a Poet’ and ‘Intermission’. The desire to be remembered—to be read and known even after death—transforms poetry into a means of transcending mortality.

In conclusion, Leaves of Silence challenges readers to confront the silences that pervade their own lives, urging them to seek meaning in a world that often appears indifferent.

Tabinda Shamim is Assistant Professor in the Department of English at Karamat Husain Muslim Girls’ P.G. College, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. She specializes in Indian writing in English, poetry, popular literature, English language teaching, stylistics, and discourse analysis. She has published in several academic journals. 

Poem published in The Cultural Reverence magazine

 My poem published in The Cultural Reverence magazine,  07 June 2026 https://theculturalreverence.wordpress.com/2026/05/13/structures-of-deception-a-poem-by-r-k-singh-india/

Vol. VIII ; No.2 ; June 7, 2026

STRUCTURES OF DECEPTION .

Roaring guns and flying bombs
pronounce total death on earth

the world withers away
the suns of science, challenging 

the universe and time with
cankerous creations

viral revolution 
racial elimination 

structures of deception
media and power traps

in the name of faith and past
bullying the masses seek

fresh promises, renewed
enthusiasm wrapped in 

a dream scroll mythologized 
to spotlight new massiahs

for divine descent to make
life happen once again 

Author :  R. K. Singh ©®
India

My three poems and Review of my poetry book published

 My three poems and a review by Princy Kumari and Binod Mishra published in Das Literarisch 

My poem translated by Fatima Tayeh

 [ مختارات ترجمة أدبية / 3 - 2026 ]

the god fire

شعلةُ الآلهة

شعر رام كريشنا سنغ / الهند

Ram Krishna Singh

ترجمة فاطِمة طايع / سوريا

Fatima Tayeh

ـــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــ

the god fire

in the soul forces back

my secret fall

i feel the retarding weight

in the fate's deadly turn

شعر: Ram Krishna Singh

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شعلةُ الآلهة

في الرُّوح ترغمني ثانيةً

على البوحِ بسرِّي

أشعرُ وكأن القدرَ المميتَ 

يثبطُ عزيمتي

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ترجمة فاطِمة طايع / سوريا