Words Don't Have Borders: Poetry That Touched Hearts, Beyond Languages

🖊️Sohini Ganguly

The instruments faded away but voices filled with rhythm remained as Kolkata Literature Festival’s Inauguration gave way to poetry sans borders.

 

The title of the mesmerising poetry session that filled the first evening of Kolkata Literature Festival with everlasting sweetness was taken from a line in the introduction of Nathalie Handal’s recently published book Geography of Loss’s Bengali translation, Anupastithir Manchitro. “Words Don’t Have Borders” is what Mr. Bose describes American-Palestinian poet Nathalie Handal’s poetry, perfectly capturing the essence of her multicultural upbringing.

 

Originally expected to consist of four panelists, with the unfortunate absence of Bratya Basu, the panel consisted of three trailblazers of the field of poetry, Goutam Datta, Nathalie Handal and Subodh Sarkar.

 

The session was brought to life with Goutam Datta’s nostalgia filled verses that first took everyone back to the Bengal of late 20th Century and then presented a tribute to Bengal’s favourite poet, Rabindra Nath Tagore.

“Right now, I am home in Calcutta with all of you.Thank you for allowing me a space.” shared Nathalie Handal, capturing the heart of Kolkata with her expressed sentiments of finding a home everywhere she goes. Her recited poem ‘Liturgy’ about Bethlehem was later also read by Subodh Sarkar in its Bengali translated version named ‘Bethlehem’ truly making the theme of the session, poetry unbound by nations, cultures and religion, come true. “Different people across the world are saying it, but the story remains the same.” Goutam Datta commented, voicing out what everyone had realized in their hearts.

 

All three poets shared their literary masterpieces throughout the session, some verses old, some new, some with the essence of protest, some filled with love. The audience showered apparent adoration on Subodh Sarkar’s poetry when he expressed his feelings through his emotionally charged readings.

 

The lines separating Bengali and English faded away paving away for the applause each and every poem received as it was once again proved, languages are no borders, just bridges waiting to be crossed.