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Spring Moon
Spring Moon by Quamrul Hassan is the first ever collection of English haiku by a Bangladeshi. The book features 43 haiku plus 43 artworks by Rudaba Mohsin. The cover of the book is done by Khademul Jahan while the foreword was written by noted English poet Kaiser Haq.
- GenresPoetryBangladesh
48 pages, Paperback
First published February 21, 2011
About the author
Quamrul Hassan
3 books30 followersBorn on October 7 in 1983, Quamrul Hassan is a poet, journalist, translator and publisher.
After studying at Government Laboratory High School, Dhaka and Faujdarhat Cadet College, he graduated from the University of Dhaka's Department of English.
Quamrul is a familiar name in the international haiku scene. His books Spring Moon (2011) and Hyaku Haiku (2016) have been both popular and critically acclaimed, with the former being the first book of English haiku penned by a Bangladeshi.
In his journalism career spanning 15 years, he has worked for the country’s biggest newspapers, including The Daily Star and The Daily Prothom Alo.
The founder of publishing house Hassan’s and Baghinee, a platform dedicated to Bangladeshi sportswomen, Quamrul is presently working on his debut novel and a series of books on Bangladeshi sportswomen who have won Gold medals in South Asian Games.
He is also dedicating his time to curate content for the launch of The Red and Green Review (TRGR), which will primarily showcase English translations of Bangla poems and short stories penned by Bangladeshi authors.
After studying at Government Laboratory High School, Dhaka and Faujdarhat Cadet College, he graduated from the University of Dhaka's Department of English.
Quamrul is a familiar name in the international haiku scene. His books Spring Moon (2011) and Hyaku Haiku (2016) have been both popular and critically acclaimed, with the former being the first book of English haiku penned by a Bangladeshi.
In his journalism career spanning 15 years, he has worked for the country’s biggest newspapers, including The Daily Star and The Daily Prothom Alo.
The founder of publishing house Hassan’s and Baghinee, a platform dedicated to Bangladeshi sportswomen, Quamrul is presently working on his debut novel and a series of books on Bangladeshi sportswomen who have won Gold medals in South Asian Games.
He is also dedicating his time to curate content for the launch of The Red and Green Review (TRGR), which will primarily showcase English translations of Bangla poems and short stories penned by Bangladeshi authors.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
September 11, 2018
Spring Moon is a collection of 43 English haiku written by Bangladeshi poet Quamrul Hassan and illustrated by Rudaba Mohsin. The cover was done by Khademul Jahan. The number 43 was chosen by Hassan as it was his batch number at Faujdarhat Cadet College. Quamrul Hassan is a former student of Dhaka University's English department. The book is introduced by the author's teacher Kaiser Haq, also a noted poet, who talks about both Quamrul's lack of seriousness in studies and his passion for poetry.
The beautiful haiku in this collection deal with everyday stories in the lives of the average Bengali. The haiku deal with urban and suburban culture: stories of love, loss, anguish and blissful musings.
The stories come alive with beautiful watercolor illustrations by Rudaba Mohsin.
Quamrul Hassan has done something really special here. He has captured part of the essence of Bengali life in this little collection. Short, and easy to read, these little poems are like a small sentimental tribute to Bangladesh.
A note of gratitude to Tisha apu and Tukunjil Nayeera apu for introducing me to this wonderful book.
The beautiful haiku in this collection deal with everyday stories in the lives of the average Bengali. The haiku deal with urban and suburban culture: stories of love, loss, anguish and blissful musings.
The stories come alive with beautiful watercolor illustrations by Rudaba Mohsin.
Quamrul Hassan has done something really special here. He has captured part of the essence of Bengali life in this little collection. Short, and easy to read, these little poems are like a small sentimental tribute to Bangladesh.
A note of gratitude to Tisha apu and Tukunjil Nayeera apu for introducing me to this wonderful book.
September 10, 2018
"Haiku is a form of Japanese poetry. The most common form for Haiku is three short lines. The first line usually contains five syllables, the second line seven syllables, and the third line contains five syllables. Haiku doesn't rhyme. A Haiku must "paint" a mental image in the reader's mind. This is the challenge of Haiku - to put the poem's meaning and imagery in the reader's mind in ONLY 17 syllables over just three lines of poetry! However, modern haiku do not always conform to this 17-syllable rule."
আজকে বিকেলের আগ পর্যন্ত হাইকু সম্পর্কে কোনো ধারণাই ছিলনা। The Polar Bear Express পড়তে গিয়ে পরিচয় শব্দটার সাথে। তিনটা হাইকু দেয়া ছিল গল্পে। তখন থেকেই হাইকু নিয়ে লেখা বই খুঁজছিলাম। খুঁজতে গিয়ে বাংলাদেশী একজন লেখকের বইও পেয়ে গেলাম! এর চাইতে আনন্দ আর কি হতে পারে?!
অসম্ভব মিষ্টি ৪৩টা হাইকু আছে এই বইয়ে। সাথে আছে চমৎকার ইলাস্ট্রেশান!
আমি যখন নাইট কোচে করে বাড়ি ফিরি তখন মুগ্ধ হয়ে জানালা দিয়ে চাঁদের দিকে তাকিয়ে থাকি! এই হাইকুটা পড়ে
বাড়ি ফেরার কথা মনে পড়ে গেলো!!
মাত্র তিনটা ছোট লাইনের মধ্যে কয়েকটা শব্দ গেঁথে পাঠকের মনে একটা দৃশ্যের ছাপ ফেলাটা নিশ্চয় খুব কঠিন কাজ! লেখক Quamrul Hassan অত্যন্ত সফলভাবে এই কাজটা করেছেন!!
ধন্যবাদ কামরুল হাসান ভাই, খুব চমৎকার একটি বইয়ের জন্য!!
আজকে বিকেলের আগ পর্যন্ত হাইকু সম্পর্কে কোনো ধারণাই ছিলনা। The Polar Bear Express পড়তে গিয়ে পরিচয় শব্দটার সাথে। তিনটা হাইকু দেয়া ছিল গল্পে। তখন থেকেই হাইকু নিয়ে লেখা বই খুঁজছিলাম। খুঁজতে গিয়ে বাংলাদেশী একজন লেখকের বইও পেয়ে গেলাম! এর চাইতে আনন্দ আর কি হতে পারে?!
অসম্ভব মিষ্টি ৪৩টা হাইকু আছে এই বইয়ে। সাথে আছে চমৎকার ইলাস্ট্রেশান!
আমি যখন নাইট কোচে করে বাড়ি ফিরি তখন মুগ্ধ হয়ে জানালা দিয়ে চাঁদের দিকে তাকিয়ে থাকি! এই হাইকুটা পড়ে
বাড়ি ফেরার কথা মনে পড়ে গেলো!!
মাত্র তিনটা ছোট লাইনের মধ্যে কয়েকটা শব্দ গেঁথে পাঠকের মনে একটা দৃশ্যের ছাপ ফেলাটা নিশ্চয় খুব কঠিন কাজ! লেখক Quamrul Hassan অত্যন্ত সফলভাবে এই কাজটা করেছেন!!
ধন্যবাদ কামরুল হাসান ভাই, খুব চমৎকার একটি বইয়ের জন্য!!
July 15, 2015
কামরুল হাসান ভাই জিজ্ঞেস করলেন ওনার বইয়ের সাথে আমার পরিচয় হয়েছে কিনা। আমার পরিচয় ছিল না জানাবার পর বইটির ফেসবুক পেজের লিংক দিলেন এবং পিডিএফ মেইল করলেন। বই পেয়ে আমার তো চক্ষু চড়াকগাছ! এতো হাইকুর বই! অনুকাব্য বাংলাদেশে সহজলভ্য হলেও হাইকুর বই কখনো দেখিনি!! হাইকুর সাথে আমার অল্পসল্প যা পরিচয় ছিল তা ইন্টারনেটের বদৌলতেই। বইতে লেখা আছে এটিই প্রথম কোনো বাংলাদেশীর ইংরেজি ভাষায় লেখা হাইকুর সংকলন। সেটা দেখে মনে হলো বাংলায় লেখা হাইকুর সংকলন কি আছে? কখনো তো চোখে পড়েনি। হয়তো খুঁজেও দেখিনি।
ফেসবুক পেজে দেখলাম বইয়ের ৪৩ টি হাইকু লিখতে হাইকুয়িস্টের সময় লেগেছে আট বছর। আমরা পাঠকরা বড়ই নির্মম, এক বিকেলেই আট বছরের কাজ পড়া হয়ে গেল! ব্যাপারটার মাঝে হালকা একটা বিষণ্ণতা আছে।
স্বাদের অভিনবত্ব আমার বেশ পছন্দের একটা ব্যাপার। তাই হাইকুর বইখানা নিয়ে আজ বিকালটা সুন্দর ছিল। বেশ কিছু হাইকু আমার খুবই ভাল লেগেছে। তার মাঝে আমার সবচেয়ে পছন্দের হাইকুটি,যেখানে ধরতে না পারার অক্ষমতা, হারিয়ে ফেলার হাহাকার রয়েছে সেটি তুলে দিচ্ছি -
"darkroom--
his eyes fixed on
the unopened shutter"
মন ভাল করা,প্রাপ্তির একটা হাইকুও দিই-
"journeying--
the moon rests
on my shoulder"
এরকম ৪৩ টি হাইকু। তিন লাইনে আঁকা নানা ছবি, তিন লাইনে ধরা পড়া নানা অনুভূতি। সাথে আছে রুদাবা মহসিনের ৪৩ টি ছবি। ছবিগুলো খুব সুন্দর। একটি না যোগ করে পারলাম না। এটা যোগ করতেই পাঠক বুঝে যাবেন বইটির পাতার আকৃতিও একেবারেই আনকনভেনশোনাল।
ছবিগুলোর জন্যই বইটির সফটকপি থাকা সত্ত্বেও আমি বইটি সংগ্রহের চেষ্টা করবো।
বইটির জন্য হাইকুয়িস্ট কামরুল হাসান ভাইকে অসংখ্য ধন্যবাদ।
ফেসবুক পেজে দেখলাম বইয়ের ৪৩ টি হাইকু লিখতে হাইকুয়িস্টের সময় লেগেছে আট বছর। আমরা পাঠকরা বড়ই নির্মম, এক বিকেলেই আট বছরের কাজ পড়া হয়ে গেল! ব্যাপারটার মাঝে হালকা একটা বিষণ্ণতা আছে।
স্বাদের অভিনবত্ব আমার বেশ পছন্দের একটা ব্যাপার। তাই হাইকুর বইখানা নিয়ে আজ বিকালটা সুন্দর ছিল। বেশ কিছু হাইকু আমার খুবই ভাল লেগেছে। তার মাঝে আমার সবচেয়ে পছন্দের হাইকুটি,যেখানে ধরতে না পারার অক্ষমতা, হারিয়ে ফেলার হাহাকার রয়েছে সেটি তুলে দিচ্ছি -
"darkroom--
his eyes fixed on
the unopened shutter"
মন ভাল করা,প্রাপ্তির একটা হাইকুও দিই-
"journeying--
the moon rests
on my shoulder"
এরকম ৪৩ টি হাইকু। তিন লাইনে আঁকা নানা ছবি, তিন লাইনে ধরা পড়া নানা অনুভূতি। সাথে আছে রুদাবা মহসিনের ৪৩ টি ছবি। ছবিগুলো খুব সুন্দর। একটি না যোগ করে পারলাম না। এটা যোগ করতেই পাঠক বুঝে যাবেন বইটির পাতার আকৃতিও একেবারেই আনকনভেনশোনাল।
ছবিগুলোর জন্যই বইটির সফটকপি থাকা সত্ত্বেও আমি বইটি সংগ্রহের চেষ্টা করবো।
বইটির জন্য হাইকুয়িস্ট কামরুল হাসান ভাইকে অসংখ্য ধন্যবাদ।
September 14, 2018
I never thought such a beautiful, complex story could be told with so very few words. But Hassan did it by putting the words in the right place, where their meaning shines, casting shadows and shaping the silence. I like this haiku collection a lot. And the illustrations that accompany each haiku are masterfully placed to enhance the reading experience, turning it into a journey of color and sound.
June 26, 2019
Starts off really strong with a series of beautifully observed haiku that captures the spirit of our six seasons. Who has not felt this exact moment, for example?
Friends waiting
I take a shawl
Late autumn evening
An entire society distilled in nine words. Likewise the rain catching out the beggar and her child, or the yellow-clad prof on the first of spring. The romantic poems are pretty good too - kisses stolen in elevators, kisses melting the beloved’s anger.
It is when the poet goes political that the poems go somewhat awry, even to the extent of being ungrammatical or unidiomatic. “The Das Kapital” is a tautology, within or without a five-star hotel room, and Americans don’t sweep their tears as they come out of the Hiroshima dome, they wipe them away.
Nonetheless these are minor quibbles in an otherwise strong collection that shows genuine perception and haiku-making skill. And the book design itself is a stunning piece of work, unique in its conception and enriched immeasurably by Rudaba Mohsin’s evocative illustrations that perfectly capture the mood on the page. Wish there was more of this kind of work coming out of Bangladesh.
Friends waiting
I take a shawl
Late autumn evening
An entire society distilled in nine words. Likewise the rain catching out the beggar and her child, or the yellow-clad prof on the first of spring. The romantic poems are pretty good too - kisses stolen in elevators, kisses melting the beloved’s anger.
It is when the poet goes political that the poems go somewhat awry, even to the extent of being ungrammatical or unidiomatic. “The Das Kapital” is a tautology, within or without a five-star hotel room, and Americans don’t sweep their tears as they come out of the Hiroshima dome, they wipe them away.
Nonetheless these are minor quibbles in an otherwise strong collection that shows genuine perception and haiku-making skill. And the book design itself is a stunning piece of work, unique in its conception and enriched immeasurably by Rudaba Mohsin’s evocative illustrations that perfectly capture the mood on the page. Wish there was more of this kind of work coming out of Bangladesh.
September 19, 2018
Came across this book on homepage when Mutasim Billah wrote a review, & found out about Haiku for the first time. With only three lines, around 17 syllables,and yet such captivating mental images can be formed, it Did amaze me! thank you Quamrul Hassan.
August 9, 2015
( This is the review I did for the Daily Star in 2011)
It's not everyday that you find a collection of haiku from a Bangladeshi poet. So you can easily imagine my surprise when I visited the stall of 'Janantik' during this year's Ekushey Book Fair and came across 'Spring Moon', a haiku collection by Quamrul Hassan. Haiku is a special form of Japanese poetry. Like many other cultural elements of Japan, haiku focuses on simplicity. In a haiku, within the proximity of three lines, a poet paints a subtle picture. The structure maybe easy, but the task of conveying feelings with ease and grace, definitely is not. In that respect 'Spring Moon' was definitely a pleasant surprise.
Quamrul Hassan is a former student of Dhaka University's English department. The book is introduced by the author's teacher Kaiser Haq, a noted poet himself, who talks about both Quamrul's lack of seriousness in studies and his passion for poetry. There are 43 haiku in the collection, and each one echoes a different human emotion. The poet chose the number 43 since it was his batch number at Faujdarhat Cadet College.
The changing of seasons always play an important part in haiku writing, and the poet makes skillful use of the seasonal diversity of Bangladesh. When the poet said,
Summer noon
shadow of a bird's beak,
on the ditch
I could easily imagine the yellow sun and lengthening shadows of a Dhaka summer. The beauties of a moonlit night, spring flowers, sudden rainfall, all become inspirations for the poet. However, the poems are not all about nature, but rather the effect nature has on us.
First day of spring
I wrap up
the blankets
this reminds one instantly of the crispy feeling of that first sunny day that comes after the long grey winter months. The haiku are picturesque by themselves, but accompanied by the brilliant water colour illustrations by Rudaba Mohsin, they come alive before one's eyes. The cover has been designed by Khademul Jahan, a member of the band Black. A treat for both the mind and the eyes, it makes a great gift option.
It was really refreshing to find a young writer experimenting with a form so little known to the average reader. Being a part of today's generation he has been able to incorporate situations and contradictions of our everyday life in his haiku.
Exam hall
invigilator's cell screams
we don't need no education
'Spring Moon' is easily available at Janantik's stall in Aziz super market, showrooms of Geetanjali at Bashundhara City and at Rafin Plaza, Nilkhet. People in Chittagong can get their copies from Bishaud Bangla. Anyone with a taste for something unusual, easy on the senses and full of aesthetic value should definitely go through a copy of 'Spring Moon'.
It's not everyday that you find a collection of haiku from a Bangladeshi poet. So you can easily imagine my surprise when I visited the stall of 'Janantik' during this year's Ekushey Book Fair and came across 'Spring Moon', a haiku collection by Quamrul Hassan. Haiku is a special form of Japanese poetry. Like many other cultural elements of Japan, haiku focuses on simplicity. In a haiku, within the proximity of three lines, a poet paints a subtle picture. The structure maybe easy, but the task of conveying feelings with ease and grace, definitely is not. In that respect 'Spring Moon' was definitely a pleasant surprise.
Quamrul Hassan is a former student of Dhaka University's English department. The book is introduced by the author's teacher Kaiser Haq, a noted poet himself, who talks about both Quamrul's lack of seriousness in studies and his passion for poetry. There are 43 haiku in the collection, and each one echoes a different human emotion. The poet chose the number 43 since it was his batch number at Faujdarhat Cadet College.
The changing of seasons always play an important part in haiku writing, and the poet makes skillful use of the seasonal diversity of Bangladesh. When the poet said,
Summer noon
shadow of a bird's beak,
on the ditch
I could easily imagine the yellow sun and lengthening shadows of a Dhaka summer. The beauties of a moonlit night, spring flowers, sudden rainfall, all become inspirations for the poet. However, the poems are not all about nature, but rather the effect nature has on us.
First day of spring
I wrap up
the blankets
this reminds one instantly of the crispy feeling of that first sunny day that comes after the long grey winter months. The haiku are picturesque by themselves, but accompanied by the brilliant water colour illustrations by Rudaba Mohsin, they come alive before one's eyes. The cover has been designed by Khademul Jahan, a member of the band Black. A treat for both the mind and the eyes, it makes a great gift option.
It was really refreshing to find a young writer experimenting with a form so little known to the average reader. Being a part of today's generation he has been able to incorporate situations and contradictions of our everyday life in his haiku.
Exam hall
invigilator's cell screams
we don't need no education
'Spring Moon' is easily available at Janantik's stall in Aziz super market, showrooms of Geetanjali at Bashundhara City and at Rafin Plaza, Nilkhet. People in Chittagong can get their copies from Bishaud Bangla. Anyone with a taste for something unusual, easy on the senses and full of aesthetic value should definitely go through a copy of 'Spring Moon'.
February 26, 2013
Brilliant!
March 26, 2013
a must read for the romantics :)
January 16, 2017
I am not a big poetry buff, but really enjoyed this. Some beautiful haiku in a well-designed format.
February 16, 2013
Beautifully constructed.
February 18, 2021
A lovely collection of haiku. Some of my personal favourites:
spring moon--
the sole witness of
the stolen kiss
***
in the rain
running for shelter
with a stray dog
***
across the river
sailing away
the spring moon
***
journeying--
the moon rests
on my shoulder
***
first kiss --
out of the elevator
she looks for a mirror
spring moon--
the sole witness of
the stolen kiss
***
in the rain
running for shelter
with a stray dog
***
across the river
sailing away
the spring moon
***
journeying--
the moon rests
on my shoulder
***
first kiss --
out of the elevator
she looks for a mirror
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