Rediff Movies columnist Dinesh Raheja’s second book of poems अधूरी ख़्वाहिशों ने… Unfulfilled Desires will release on August 14.
“Poetry affords us moments of contemplation in our overstimulated world. Penning poetry makes me both think and feel deeply,” says journalist-author-poet Dinesh Raheja.
Raheja has penned his second book of poems अधूरी ख़्वाहिशों ने… Unfulfilled Desires, a beautiful compilation of poems in English and Hindi. The book will release on August 14.
Rediff readers can buy an early copy at a special discount of 20% on the MRP price of Rs 299. You can get your copy for Rs 239 plus Rs 50 delivery charges.
Celebrity reviews of Dinesh’s poems:
Victor Banerjee: ‘Dinesh Raheja astonishes us with his artful spin on universal truths. Like all good poetry, Dinesh’s poems unsettle some emotion within us and prod us towards thought. May he continue penning verses with tender-tart observations on humanity’s heartless follies and tender frolics.’
Lillete Dubey: ‘Dinesh’s poetry talks of the everyday and the profound with equal ease in both English and Hindi. His verse reaches out to touch your heart.’
Anju Makhija: ‘Raheja’s poems touch the soul, at times moving through surreal realms of dreams and nightmares.’
An excerpt from the poem, Niky, My Love, with kind permission:
Niky, My Love
I saw a dream for you, Niky
Perched on a mountain peak
Kissed by the morning mist
In lush countryside
Where the babbling brook glides
Stands our house of bricks white
You drink the milk
I have milked fresh from the cow
Amused, watching me
in the distance ploughs
Day long you wander
But come home unrewarded
In a bid to measure the expanse of open skies
Asking me innocently,
“Who painted the skies so blue
The sun in so many hues?”
Tired from chasing the lamb,
Frisky and cute
Having listened to the shepherd’s flute
Galloping on your steed white
You come back home to a night mute
The wind rustles
The stars are nude
The moon comes down to become a pillow
While you sleep on a stack of hay and willow
But in reality
What I give you is:
A matchbox flat
In a concrete jungle of cement and steel
Polluted water, powdered milk
Smoke and soot
an Trains with crowd as loot
A tired sun, a pale moon
Neon lights, dunlop pillows
Don’t be angry, my love
My child, my Niky
I have given you a dream
I will see it comes true
If you want to buy a copy, simply mail Dinesh Raheja at dineshraheja12@gmail.com
Feature Presentation: Rajesh Alva/Rediff