About CC

In this letter, Mulk Raj Anand appreciates Dr. Satish Kumar’s A Survey of Indian English Novel. The Managing Director, Prakash Book Depot, Bareilly, U.P. was so much impressed that he took care in improving the printing quality and made it suitable for international circulation.

R. C. Shukla’s Letter to PCK Prem

This letter reminds one the tradition of the letter writing which used to reveal the contemporary social, political and literary scenario. Here Dr. Shukla writes candidly about the future of Indian Poetry in English and the politics that lies therein.

MIG 33

Ram Ganga Vihar

Phase II

Moradabad

27.03.2016

Dear Shri PCK Prem

Sadar Namaskar.

A person devoid of bureaucratic arrogance, I consider you a great human being who does not hesitate in imparting significance even for a small poet like me. Your devotion to literature and your endeavour to bring out the envisaged anthology speak vociferously of the beauty of your mind. The credit of my kinship with you goes to Dr. Dalip Khetrapal of Ambala. Dr. Khetrapal has known me for about three decades and his intellectual probity makes him think about me as few think about others these days.

As desired by you, I am sending to you two poems each (photo copies) from all the ten collections of my poetry published so far. I am also sending you one copy of my last publication titled Ponderings III.

Collections of my Poetry

Darkness at Dawn, Kambuja Internationa, Thanjavur, 1990.
A Belated Appearance, Writers Workshop, Kolkata, 2001.
Depth and Despair, Writers Workshop, Kolkata, 2001.
My Poems Laugh, Writers Forum, Ranchi, 2001.
The Parrot Shrieks, Writers Workshop, Kolkata, 2003
The Parrot Shrieks II, Writers Workshop, Kolkata, 2005
The Parrot Shrieks III, Writers Workshop, Kolkata, 2008
Ponderings I, Adhyan Publishers, New Delhi,
Ponderings II, Adhyan Publishers, New Delhi,
Ponderings III, Adhyan Publishers, New Delhi, 2012

Sir,

The three chief subjects of my poetry are:

Man-woman relationship
The despair and agony the poor resulting from the ill distribution of wealth and the consequent social inequality predominately emanating from the unholy alliance of the three—the Indian political class, the Indian Bureaucracy and the Indian business class. This alliance has also affected the Indian Judicial system which is the last window of relief for the depressed but which has also failed to deliver justice to the poor.
The futility of human life which, as a matter of fact is a great predicament. What is life except an indefinite duration brought by dangers? What does a man get here from his life except a very feeble help of a fruitful future?

Prem Sir,

I very humbly separate myself from the strongly established Indian English poets like Ezekiel, Mahapatra, Shiv K. Kumar and A.K. Ramanujan. These poets came into eminence not because there is much worth in their poetry but because of their high connections. The above mentioned poets and the repeated names in great magazines like KAVYA BHARTI and CHANDRABHAGI reached heights chiefly on account of their links, less on account of the worth in their poetry. If I am allowed to commend these poets have written in an oddly abstract manner, have used high sounding words. The readers are compelled to conclude that it is probably difficult poetry which should be kept in the category of great poetry.

Which is great poetry indeed? Great poetry springs from great minds, meditative minds possessed by Milton and Eliot and in India—possessed by Toru Dutt, Tagore and Kamala Das. Great poetry may be full of webs of imagery but it is never unintelligible. One thing more great poetry sublimates. It ennobles it purifies. It is a sort of medicine for intellectual ills.

As a poet I have worked with a clear conscience. I have regretted every type of hypocrisy. I have tried to watch even the most dry leaf of a tree as attentively as the rosy cheeks of a beautiful maiden. For me a funeral procession is not less important than a marriage procession. An enlightened poet regularly moves between the two poles of Raag and Vairagya.

Kindly evaluate my poetry in the light of arguments as advanced in the above written lines. I once more thank you for your interest in me.

With regards,

Yours sincerely

RC Shukla

9411682777