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Uncollected Poems and Prose
A.K. Ramanujan has been recognized as the world's most profound scholar of South Asian language and culture. This book brings together for the first time, poems and essays by Ramanujan, which could not be used in his lifetime. Also included are Ramanujan's conversational interviews with
academics and friends, folk-tales, discussions of Shakespeare, translation and the idea of communication.
academics and friends, folk-tales, discussions of Shakespeare, translation and the idea of communication.
- GenresPoetry
122 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2001
About the author
A.K. Ramanujan
50 books103 followersRamanujan was an Indian poet, scholar and author, a philologist, folklorist, translator, poet and playwright. His academic research ranged across five languages: Tamil, Kannada, Telugu, Sanskrit, and English. He published works on both classical and modern variants of these literature and also argued strongly for giving local, non-standard dialects their due.
He was called "Indo-Anglian harbingers of literary modernism". Several disciplinary areas are enriched with A.K.Ramanujan`s aesthetic and theoretical contributions. His free thinking context and his individuality which he attributes to Euro-American culture gives rise to the "universal testaments of law". A classical kind of context-sensitive theme is also found in his cultural essays especially in his writings about Indian folklore and classic poetry. He worked for non-Sanskritic Indian literature and his popular work in sociolinguistics and literature unfolds his creativity in the most striking way. English Poetry most popularly knows him for his advance guard approach.
He was called "Indo-Anglian harbingers of literary modernism". Several disciplinary areas are enriched with A.K.Ramanujan`s aesthetic and theoretical contributions. His free thinking context and his individuality which he attributes to Euro-American culture gives rise to the "universal testaments of law". A classical kind of context-sensitive theme is also found in his cultural essays especially in his writings about Indian folklore and classic poetry. He worked for non-Sanskritic Indian literature and his popular work in sociolinguistics and literature unfolds his creativity in the most striking way. English Poetry most popularly knows him for his advance guard approach.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
March 29, 2018
this uncollected stuff is my introduction to AKR. i have gained a newfound respect for translators now (and i also want to venture into it myself). he wrote a whole paper on memory and Kalidasa (one of my fave topics) which is in this edition!! and the poems are just on another level. i am thrilled, honestly. when i read the poems i wanted to share them with a stranger; and the interviews and paper with my lit people.
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June 18, 2016I am tempted to really gush and pour forth all my excitement about this book. But I'll try to still my beating heart and make myself heard above the thud thud.
The book collects together some previously unpublished poems, among them a love poem which I cannot resist quoting in full:
Love 10 : A. K. Ramanujan
Love poems, he says, are not easy to write
because they've all been written before.
Words play dead. The seasons are trite.
Love poems are not easy to write
for anyone present: their lips are sore,
hearts elsewhere, or just full of spite.
And love poems are not easy to write
for absent ones: can't remember any more
the colour of their eyes, try as one might.
Love poems are not easy to write
for the dead: after the sting of sorrow,
ironies of relief, one's stricken with blight.
Turning over and over tomorrow
and yesterday, day is already night.
Love, unwritten, cataracts his sight.
Other than the poems there are a couple of interviews, an essay on memory as a literary trope in Indian classical literature and an elegy to Barbara Stoler Miller. All beautifully done.
At 100 odd pages it packs quite a punch. There is not a page that I didn't enjoy. I suspect that I have become enamored by his personality. I am dazzled. Worth returning to multiple times.
The book collects together some previously unpublished poems, among them a love poem which I cannot resist quoting in full:
Love 10 : A. K. Ramanujan
Love poems, he says, are not easy to write
because they've all been written before.
Words play dead. The seasons are trite.
Love poems are not easy to write
for anyone present: their lips are sore,
hearts elsewhere, or just full of spite.
And love poems are not easy to write
for absent ones: can't remember any more
the colour of their eyes, try as one might.
Love poems are not easy to write
for the dead: after the sting of sorrow,
ironies of relief, one's stricken with blight.
Turning over and over tomorrow
and yesterday, day is already night.
Love, unwritten, cataracts his sight.
Other than the poems there are a couple of interviews, an essay on memory as a literary trope in Indian classical literature and an elegy to Barbara Stoler Miller. All beautifully done.
At 100 odd pages it packs quite a punch. There is not a page that I didn't enjoy. I suspect that I have become enamored by his personality. I am dazzled. Worth returning to multiple times.
September 30, 2021
Ramanujan is an exceptional poet. I love poetry that excavates meaning out of the ordinary and mundane things in life and Ramanujan's poetry does just that. His work bears witness to his astute observation and skill in handling tender emotions. It travels through the grit and grime of daily life and picks out elements that provide people a sense of community and collective experience. The themes of most of the poems included in this book are similar yet the way Ramanujan explores and pens them down is worth marveling at. 'Still Life', 'Self portrait' and 'Renoir at Eighty' are poems that I don't think I will ever forget. His writing is truly inspiring.
October 5, 2014
Sheer brilliance. Might even read it for a second time and a third time before the autumn is over.
November 14, 2018
Simply fantastic...
AKR's vision on Languages and his take on contributing to different cultures and languages is thoughtful for every arts lover.
His view on modern and ancient arts forms are content and the translations of Ancient works of Indian languages were discussed without disturbing soul.
Must read if you like to know Modern and Ancient Indian cultures and works regarding the same.
His take on second language writers is simply superb.
AKR's vision on Languages and his take on contributing to different cultures and languages is thoughtful for every arts lover.
His view on modern and ancient arts forms are content and the translations of Ancient works of Indian languages were discussed without disturbing soul.
Must read if you like to know Modern and Ancient Indian cultures and works regarding the same.
His take on second language writers is simply superb.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews