‘A Gentle Intoxication of Music’: Poetry Book Review (Guest Book Review by Nupur Maskara)

Italian is a musical language, and poetry in Italian would be the cherry on top. Sometimes the beauty of language gets lost in translation, as is often the case with Urdu ghazals. However, the translators of The Grace of My Home by Julio Monteiro Martins (Donald Wang and Helen Wickes) have successfully captured his vivid images and wordplay.

The Grace of My Home is the first time Martins’ poems are available as a collection in English. As the title suggests, Martins’ poetry evokes his homes – Brazil and Italy – evocatively. The book is an insight in his mind, his proclivity for wordplay, and his skill in employing poetic devices.

‘By the Grace of Words’ is one poem in this book that caught my attention. The narrator talks candidly about how he ‘used to have such a fear/of abstract nouns/’ that he ‘even felt safe/among the adjectives. Language is often a refuge for some of us, a home for our thoughts. Others who think visually, may consider images to be their sanctuary.

The poem goes on to talk about how ‘nouns would parade inside’ him, within reach of his ‘verbs.’ Towards the end, the poet talks about how there were ‘Too many subjects/without a predicate.’ Such poems translate well, as they have strong images and metaphors.

Martins’ gift for irony is clearly seen in ‘Elective Affinities,’ where he talks about how he should stop writing about friends, ‘(or writing about anything).’ That leaves out a great deal of material, which he lists – controversies, lies ‘(but there are so many…how will I remember them all?)’ This would resonate with readers, as we all have mental filters, on what we can share with which group, no matter how close we may be to a friend.

The poem touches on a common worry - friends often wonder if they are going to end up in their author friend’s book. As Nora Ephron said, ‘everything is copy.’ The poet ends by saying he ‘will give them the maximum/ of every bit of my minimum.’ What will become then of him and his art, the reader wonders.  Tennyson’s depiction of the artist’s dilemma, whether to be part of the world or write about it, that he showed in ‘The Lady of Shalott,’ comes to mind.

The next poem, ‘Melania’ paints a detailed picture of domestic life, where the actress wife is physically present but always mentally in her world of theatre, and so has no time, space, or energy for her husband. Martins’ versatility is displayed here, in this narrative poem, with its strong characterisation of both the husband and wife.

In the poem ‘Eclipsing the Taj Mahal,’ Martins wonders whether Shah Jahan built the Taj Mahal as a monument to love rather than Noor Jahan. He contrasts himself with the king, saying that he would not build the Taj Mahal. He would see himself ‘dissolve/like a pat of butter/in the center of the pan.’ This contrarian view of love was refreshing.

Martins’ irony is seen again in the poem, as he ends with the reason why he would not erect the Taj Mahal – to protect others from the ‘crater-like feeling/left by love,’

‘To protect those who do not love/from viewing the crater, /the vertigo of seeing all the way to the very bottom.’ His unusual metaphors for love catch the reader’s attention, and make them view love in a different light.

My favourite lines were in the closing poem ‘Music,’ where Martins says ‘Beauty/had entered in me. /A gentle intoxication of music.’ That indeed, is music, and music literally enters us via our ears, so this was a skilful turn of phrase.

Martins’ circumstances – Brazil and Italy - are evident in his poems. He was born in Brazil and worked as a lawyer there. He was one of the founders of the Brazilian Green Party and also co-founded an environmental movement.

A prolific writer with a diverse range, he published nine books in Brazil – novels, short stories, and essays. He also founded a publication press and taught creative writing.

The Grace of My Home is worth a read, and reminds us of cultures other than American, which have taken over our consciousness to a great extent in recent times. Martins’ poetry may even nudge some of us (a la Jhumpa Lahiri), to learn Italian, so that we can appreciate its musicality in the original.

Original Text: Italian
Translator: Donald Wang and Helen Wickes

Pages: 134

ISBN-13: 978-8196395926

Publisher: The Antonym Collections

Author's Image Ref: https://blackbird-archive.vcu.edu/v18n2/poetry/monteiro-j/index-monteiro.shtml

From the Vault - Rashid Jahan's Short Stories

Who is the Culprit and Other Stories is a collection of five short stories written by Rashid Jahan, one of the foremost writers of the Progressive Movement in India. She wrote short stories and plays that primarily addressed issues such as social injustice and oppression, the condition of women, and the lives of marginalized people at the bottom of the social and economic hierarchy. She is regarded as one of the fiercest writers of her generation.

Rashid Jahan also contributed to the short-story collection Angaaray, which was banned and publicly burned by British authorities because of its bold attack on conservatism, hypocrisy, and colonialism. These five stories reflect her lifelong activism, feminism, and unequivocal voice against male-dominated power structures and British colonial rule.

Who is the Culprit? (Mujrim Kaun)

The story is set in British-ruled India, where people gather at a club to celebrate the farewell of Judge George Robinson, who is soon to be married and is leaving India.

The story highlights the inequality in perception, treatment, and legal judgment when similar actions are committed by those in power—the British rulers—and by ordinary Indians. George Robinson, a celebrated judge, is involved in an illicit affair with a colonel’s wife. Yet, in a dramatic turn of events, he is allowed to marry the woman, and the law conveniently makes way for him without any prosecution.

.… you could say that nobody could interpret the English laws that they had created for the slaves better than him…

… These people are emotional like animals…

In contrast, Bhola, a simple shepherd boy, falls in love with a married woman, Gujariya, and the affection between them is mutual. However, Bhola is sentenced to three years of hard labor by the court. By connecting the stories of George and Bhola, the narrative becomes a sharp satire on social and legal disparity under colonial rule.

… If there were no death sentence, there would be bloodshed and murder all day long in this barbaric country. It is our laws that have kept peace among them…

… We believe the law I the same for everyone…

At its core, Who is the Culprit? is an anti-colonial story that exposes how colonial rulers often enjoyed legal protection, privilege, and even immunity for their wrongdoing, while ordinary Indians faced harsh punishment. Colonial laws were designed primarily to protect imperial authority rather than to ensure equal justice.

Asif Jahan's Daughter-in-Law (Asif Jahaan Ki Bahu)

Asif Jahan wanted to marry her only son, Noor Al-Hasan, to Kubra’s daughter, which would please both her husband’s family and her own family back home. However, the problem was that Kubra always gave birth to sons.

… may Khuda never grant a daughter even unto our enemies…

One of the best depictions of tension and emotional intensity, marked by fear, prayer, exhaustion, and anticipation during a home birth, is presented in this story. The prolonged labour, midwifery details, and the case of retained placenta have been skillfully portrayed by the author, Rashid Jahan, who herself was a medical doctor. The details of a birth room where a mother struggles through childbirth are complete and vivid in themselves.

The story also serves as a significant reflection on the practice of betrothal before birth or infancy, which was prevalent in the past. It can further be seen as a strong critique of patriarchy, where sons were preferred above all else. In contrast, the story places the birth of a girl at its emotional center.

Her (Woh)

Her is a story of an ex-prostitute who is now diseased and a victim of social hatred, expulsion, and mistreatment. She may be suffering from syphilis, and her face is severely disfigured; she has already lost her nose and one eye, which evokes fear in those who encounter her. In fact, the author, being a medical doctor, may have come across such women in real life.

In the story, the narrator is a teacher in a girls’ school. Unlike others around her who call the woman “whore,” “evil,” “devil,” and “wretched woman,” she is open to meeting her in a more humane way. However, the silent tension created by the woman is heavy, intense, and almost palpable to the narrator.

In fact, the narrator herself has some reservations, if not contempt, which she eventually acknowledges. The woman’s repulsive appearance also makes her uncomfortable, yet she maintains a calm demeanor. The story highlights the narrator’s inner struggle between acceptance, indifference, and latent hatred for the woman. It shows how hatred can emerge even among the most educated and seemingly compassionate individuals

.… What does she think? Was she ever just like me?...

… Does she believe I think of her as nothing more than a malady?... What does she feel when she comes to me, is it pain, or is it peace?

The story may have been considered revolting at the time it was written, as the mere mention of a prostitute was a taboo, and portraying such characters in literature would have disturbed many readers. Rashid Jahan was a writer of the Progressive Movement, and this story likely drew attention to the treatment of sex workers and the prevailing social hypocrisy in the name of justice.

The Thief (Chor)

In The Thief, the narrator, a doctor, faces a moral dilemma when she comes face to face one night with a thief who had recently robbed her house but has now returned as a desperate father whose daughter needs urgent medical attention.

The God of the Poor (Ghareebon Ka Bhagwan)

The God of the Poor is another piece of progressive writing. The story highlights the fact that those who are socially and economically disadvantaged are often at the mercy of the society in which they live. No god, of any religion, can rescue or help them except people themselves. Justice begins and ends with society and its people.

Rashid Jahan left behind a body of work that represents a fierce act of defiance. We thank the publisher and the translator, Himadri Agarwal, for giving new life to these stories through translation and for bringing them back from the vault. Because history is never silent, and so are the stories.

Original Text: Urdu
Translator: Himadri Agarwal
Publisher: Chowringhee Press

Source: Review Copy from the Publisher

Rashid Jahan's works in Urdu could be accessed here: https://www.rekhta.org/authors/rasheed-jahan/stories

From the Vault - Subhadra Kumari Chauhan's Short Stories

I Murdered Mine is a collection of five short stories written by Subhadra Kumari Chauhan. She was an Indian poet, short story writer, and freedom fighter during the British rule in India. She died shortly after India gained independence in 1947. These five stories have been selected from her two short story collections: Seedhe Saadhe Chitra and Bikhre Moti. Her other published short story collection is Unmadini. She is best known for her poem Jhansi Ki Rani (The Queen of Jhansi).

These five stories give us a glimpse of the range of topics Subhadra wrote about. From women’s resilience and struggle to human devotion and guilt, some of these stories were far ahead of their time in their strong portrayal of the true colors of society and its psyche.

Kailashi Nani (from Seedhe Saadhe Chitra)

In Kailashi Nani, the narrator is a girl who recalls Kailashi Nani—a woman from her maternal uncle’s village who earned her living by grazing the villagers’ cattle. The narrator and her family lived in the city, and she met Kailashi Nani only during visits to her uncle’s home in the village. She enjoyed village life, but even more, she cherished Kailashi Nani’s company, affection, and care. Though she appears to be a simple, affectionate village woman who loves children, Kailashi Nani does something that baffles the narrator and her family, transforming her into a figure of selfless loyalty. She ultimately proves her love and devotion by saving the narrator and her sister from a treacherous marriage scheme. The story serves as a reminder of a recent past when child marriage was practiced, and of how certain people leave a lasting, unforgettable impact on our lives.

Sacrifice (from Bikhre Moti)

Babu Radheshyam loses his wife, who dies after giving birth to a child. Initially, he is determined not to remarry, but he changes his mind after meeting Kuntala—an educated young woman whose family is too poor to arrange her marriage. Kuntala’s new life, largely consumed by household responsibilities, begins to affect her health. Domestic life stifles her youth, brilliance, and talent. But, how worse can this get? The ending is crushing.  

Perspective (from Bikhre Moti)

This is the story of Nirmala, a true humanist. She is kind, compassionate, and altruistic. Many learned humanists cannot go beyond the idea of thinking good; they are unable to act well when it is required. Nirmala’s husband, a learned professor, does not appear to be the opposite, given his social stature and sense of nobility. However, cynicism can take root even in the greatest minds. A good human being, in fact, can also be an extreme misogynist, sexist, and a fervent follower of patriarchy.

The clash between these two natures and two ideologies becomes evident and defining when a child widow becomes pregnant, and Nirmala wishes to shelter her for a few days.

In the absence of evidence and action, even human characters can hide behind their true beliefs. We come across this in The Perspective when people's beliefs are put to test.

Roopa (from Seedhe Saadhe Chitra)

The narrator of Roopa is a woman prison inmate. One day, a woman named Roopa is brought into the prison, sentenced for killing her own child. The narrator gets to know how Roopa is sentenced to life imprisonment for murdering her own child, a child with speech-impairment, and whether it was even a murder or something else. The title of the story collection is taken from this story.

Paapi Pet (from Bikhre Moti)

When government forces launch a crackdown on peaceful protesters with brute force, have you ever wondered what happens to the police who return after beating unarmed people, severely injuring some who could even lose their lives? And what about those who ordered the charge, or the legal system that can throw people in jail? What is greater than conscience—hunger? Do the means of survival outweigh a human's ability to decide, to distinguish right from wrong? In Paapi Pet, we get close to the lives of a policeman, a jailor named Barkatula, an inspector, and a magistrate in the aftermath of a recent lathi charge on unarmed, peaceful protesters.

We are very grateful to Sakshi Agarwal for translating these forgotten stories, staying very close to the original text and preserving their vigor. After all, old stories are, in part, a reflection of our history and collective memory.

Original Text: Hindi
Translator: Sakshi Agarwal
Publisher: Chowringhee Press
Source: Review Copy from the Publisher

Subhadra Kumari Chauhan's works in Hindi could be accessed here: https://hindi-kavita.com/HindiSubhadraKumariChauhan.php