Poems | Bishweshwar Das

Blenheim that tried to show off taking the cross off the top of the school at Asansol, 1/25 sec. (113 Squadron): www.113squadron.com
(Picture clicked when school was Royal Air Force HO During World War II) 

SVTS Old Mates whatsapp group:

Pandey ji kaese hae ?
Fine yaar ?
Arre why didn’t you come for the alumni meet yaar
It was so much fun


24 summers earlier,
On the Ides of March,
We played ‘Holi’ as the last white broadsheets were tied with starched strings.
And the answers submitted, the question papers folded to be kept for younger brother,
And then I sat in the chocolate brown Ambassador Mark 4.
With my Chicken Pox face,
Into the spring street the car rolled.
The long road to the big blue and white gate,
Welded on it the batch with the type in Gothic: St. Vincent’s High & Technical School, Hill View Park, Asansol. Followed by in Latin,
‘Consilio et animo’ or by Wisdom and Courage
The last day of school,
ICSE Exams over!
Did the big iron bell ring?
Or the distant shift change sirens of the IISCO steel plant hoot?
I can’t remember
Did the eagles swoop down as a farewell to those 11 glorious years?
I can’t remember
Did I buy Aloo chat from the thela near the bus stop?
I can’t remember
Did I hug my classmates & note down their postal addresses?
I can’t remember
Did I skate through the long junior corridors on my Bata black patent leather shoes?
I can’t remember
Did I take a peek into the swimming pool?
I can’t remember
Did I wish my class teacher Mr.Biswas  goodbye?
I can’t remember.
And Basu Miss, Manju Miss, Mathews Sir, Bhattacharya Sir and others?
I can’t remember
Soumodeep and I are in touch on and off.
Where is Jayanta & Bihangham and Amitava and all others?
Did I feel ambitious to tread on the life ahead?
Did I write a love letter to the girl from Loreto and ponder what lied ahead when I crossed her school?
I can’t remember at all.
Can I ever go back?
Perhaps never.
It’s now a freedom song with a sweet lament!

Christmas Time: Frazer Town Underbridge

The  Don Bosco Church bell rings and echoes in the distance,

A warm winter Christmas Evening.

Blessings, feasting and a general languid air,

The Old half blind dog looks up at me,

Standing in front of a half shut ATM booth with a sign ‘No Cash’.

Later in the evening the muezzin calls the faithful.

The azaan drifting from the North Road Mosque tower.

Up ahead,

Between Bangalore Pork Shop & Kureshi beef Shop

The marquee at the Revival Church pronounces ‘Jesus is the answer’

So is Allah!

So where is the confusion fellows?

Rejoice in the merry season,

Stars atop staircases and balcony tops.

Fleetwood Mac, Perpetual Succour,

Hutchins Court, Robina, Silverdale, Casa Maria, Hutchins Mansion, North Point Apartment, Tawaqqal Court,  Graceland, Rosedale, Chateu Maria, Rosedale

Sunbeam Nazareth, Holy Ghost Church further…

All draped and twinkling with red and white LED lights  

Wheeler Road, D’Costa Layout ,  North Road, Ashoka Road, Richards Park, Hutchins Road all the way

To The Fraser town: Underbridge

Rejoice its Christmas time !  

Illustration by Paul Fernandes 

The Oldest Dog in Hutchins Road. PC: BD

Artwork| Balbir Krishan

Yugal 

Medium: mixed media on paper/ Size: 28 x 36 inches/ 2004

Note from the Artist : The year 2004 was a defining year for me and the present body of work titled Yugal (couple) was an extension to my thoughts, belief and persona. Though I was not very open to paint same sex couples back then. However, the first thought that crossed me after my phase of depression till 2003 was of love. I met with an accident and around that time most of my works spoke of sadness, pain and loneliness- a feeling which is around us everywhere. I used pigeons as a metaphor, because we see pigeons cooing all around us from window sills to skylights.

For this series, I have used human bodies juxtaposed with pigeon heads. I have tried to portray a couple in love, who go through the emotions such as joy, sadness, lust, death, pain and togetherness. I intentionally kept the forms white as a symbol of purity but the background is vividly colourful with geometrical forms. These geometrical forms depict the various societal norms that we remain prisoners of.

I have used a unique technique in this series. From mixed medium like ball point pen, to rotring pen, fountain pen, photo colour ink, waterproof black ink on glossy paper etc.I have tried to mix all these and create something new. This technique allows me to create depictions of my subjects in lifelike flesh-tones, and the opacity of the paint provides depth and contours to the images.