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.