Review of The Artist & Other Poems

[Shrabastee Chakraborty]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Artist & Other Poems" by Ninad Pradhan.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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The Artist & Other Poems by Ninad Pradhan is an assortment of forty-three poems written over many years. Some poems like “A Symphony at Twilight” or “A Town I Know” describe a beautiful scene or a leisurely walk along a familiar path. “The Wait” speaks of a person’s fond reminiscences of their deceased partner, while “Twilight” is an elderly lady’s reflection on her waning days. Among the more thought-provoking ones, “Cocoon” elucidates how stringent religious beliefs can engulf even a skeptic person. “The Prison of Thought” is a unique poem depicting an actor’s gradual transformation into a sociopath.

The overwhelming array of topics in this collection caught my attention. Almost none of the poems had abstract themes. Instead, Pradhan composed each with a specific premise in mind. Sometimes, a critical social or political event had triggered his writing. In some cases, they reflected Pradhan’s musings on various subjects, including revolution, freedom, religion, or the imperfections of humankind. The poems often delved deep into the convoluted workings of the human psyche.

“Music to My Ears,” the first piece, was one of my favorites. The words enlivened the everyday sounds and made me appreciate them yet again. “A Town I Know” filled my mind with beautiful imagery. In contrast, the plight of the thirsty narrator in “The Traveller of the Drought” brought tears to my eyes. Pradhan’s frequent use of archaic and unusual words enriched my vocabulary. A few lines and phrases left vivid impressions in my mind. For example, “Doomsday will arrive on the wings of want as foretold” spoke of unquenchable greed. The expression “What riches, then, could a treasure hunter seek/ Whose path is paved with gold?” highlighted the importance of dedication and perseverance.

Pradhan devoted a couple of sentences at the beginning of each poem to describe its premise. This practice helped me follow his thoughts when reading the ones with a distinct backstory, such as “A question of Faith” or “The Prison of Thought.” Yet, for descriptive poems such as “Music to My Ears” or “A Symphony at Twilight,” the introductions seemed unnecessary. I often felt that Pradhan had overanalyzed the poems without offering the readers a chance to interpret them independently. His thorough explanation of each piece detracted from the joy of reading and pondering on the underlying messages.

Despite the bold claim in the “About the Author” section that “his thoughts are very matured,” I found the philosophical poems meandering and hard to follow. In some cases, I failed to understand how the text corroborated the meaning Pradhan originally intended to convey. Excessive restructuring of phrases to maintain rhyming verses often made the situation worse. I liked the poems without any imposed rhyming schemes better because of their natural flow and clarity.

I rate the collection 3 out of 4 stars, deducting one star for the issues mentioned. From a technical standpoint, there were only a few minor errors. I would recommend the book to readers who appreciate poetry. However, the complex discourses on social issues, politics, and religion make this book unfitting for those preferring a light read.

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The Artist & Other Poems
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[Ghuddie]

Poems on politics and religion will interest religious and politically inclined readers. What a great review you have here. Well done.