Internationally renowned terrorism and conflict specialist, Jaideep Saikia whose works on security and strategy have attracted great attention worldwide is also a reputed closet poet.

His latest collections of poems–“Twilight Hour,” “Quarter to Eight,” and “Neruda or Nobody” were released on Wednesday by Assamese actress Nishita Goswami in Guwahati.

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Saikia’s earlier works in poetry included “Lyrics from the Amygdala” and “Susupti”, the latter a collection of Saikia’s poems translated into Assamese.

“Lyrics from the Amygdala” was released way back in January 2003 by the then Assam Governor Lt Gen (Retd) S.K. Sinha in Guwahati.

The Guwahati Grand Poetry Festival organized the well-attended function which was graced among others by former Director Generals, Assam Police Dilip Kumar Borah, GMC Commissioner Debasish Sarma and a galaxy of personages from the world of literature, culture and poetry.

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National award winner and celebrated singer, Tarali Sarma rendered Jaideep Saikia’s famous poem, “Priyam” into an Assamese song and regaled the audience.

The Assamese translator of the poem is Dilip Kumar Borah. The original English composition of the famous poem “Priyam”:

Priyam

Who am I, Priyam?

That I should yearn for you with such passion

It pales even before my desire for a smile

I forget who I told, I said                            

I can love someone from afar

Slumber half-awake in a lap of lilac imagination

Wander off in solitary delight, accomplish

Ferocity of mauve adorned fulfilment

Apartness bridge realities of desolation

Unrequited calls confine me to cellular extremities, unanswered 

Distance have always followed me

Paces that it separates me from my cravings are fated

I am so natured, Priyam

Remoteness is the name of my kingdom

I rule over foibles of solitude

Imprecise recollections of your willowy looks

Ripeness of your full lips, posterior

Poised in incredible grace

Whisper words of gratification, enduring embrace

Saikia’s poems have been translated into Assamese, Bengali, Malayalam, Manipuri as well as Tamil.

He is also the first person to have translated Assam’s National Song into English and the song was sung during the function by Bhaswati Basumatary.

Hailing Saikia for pioneering a new genre in poetry, several critics who attended the event stated that Jaideep Saikia has brought to the fore a novel “stream of consciousness” which is path-breaking.