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In Search of Magnificence
In Search of Magnificence is a collection of poems.These poems are a brilliant display of words, thoughts, images, symbol, science and culture.
154 pages, Paperback
First published November 15, 2013
256 people want to read
About the author
Babru Bahan Samal
5 books5 followersI was born and brought up in a typical village in India with lots of festivals, poverty and a culture rich in imagination. I was a voracious reader from the beginning and wanted to be a poet.
However I studied science and specifically genomics during my masters, doctoral and post doctoral days and work in the field of biotechnology and bioinformatics for many years.
My basic views on life and living were shaped by early exposure to Indian philosophy and mythology, Odia poetry and novels and the writings of illustrious authors in different languages such as Bengali, English, and Hindi. Later, exposure to world literature and culture and scientific training and research instilled in him the value of observation without prejudice, an objective but philosophical mindset and a voracious appetite to wonder which have molded the essence of my writings.
My writings are the minutes in the notebook of life and depict my views as an objective observer who wonders about the miracle of life from its minute, cellular state to the marvelous systems in the universe.
Apart from poetry, my interests include traveling, photography, culture, molecular biology, bioinformatics, and learning languages.
However I studied science and specifically genomics during my masters, doctoral and post doctoral days and work in the field of biotechnology and bioinformatics for many years.
My basic views on life and living were shaped by early exposure to Indian philosophy and mythology, Odia poetry and novels and the writings of illustrious authors in different languages such as Bengali, English, and Hindi. Later, exposure to world literature and culture and scientific training and research instilled in him the value of observation without prejudice, an objective but philosophical mindset and a voracious appetite to wonder which have molded the essence of my writings.
My writings are the minutes in the notebook of life and depict my views as an objective observer who wonders about the miracle of life from its minute, cellular state to the marvelous systems in the universe.
Apart from poetry, my interests include traveling, photography, culture, molecular biology, bioinformatics, and learning languages.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
December 30, 2015
In Search of Magnificence by Babru Samal is a collection of poems that span from 1992 through the decades and reflect on situations, paradoxes, and mysteries that were timely at the moment but which are still applicable today to many people. Babru writes about seeing and sensing God, simple blessings and miracles that life grants us so generously, the absurdities of everyday life and the status quo, the feeling of love that takes on different forms as time goes by with utmost sensibility, introversion, understanding, and wisdom. Several poems hit home for me or awestruck me. I’ve no doubt that any poetry lover can connect with some of his poesy as well.
My beloveds are the following four:
The Right Way to Live, for instance, has an impressive structure to it where the story starts with an elder person’s death and culminates with “la petite morte” of two lovers conceiving them. If read from the end to the beginning, the poem would still make sense and be just as a profound in meaning. It speaks of how mundane and hectic life can become as we grow older and forget to tap into the child within us. And all there is that awaits us in the end is death.
Bare Expression muses on the tragedy of female nudity and nakedness, two words that in the poem have two different meanings even if, essentially speaking, it’s not having any clothes on. While a girl can be found bare running around and playing in a village, she is expected to be fully clothed as she grows older because “As she differentiated / She got to cover herself for dignity / To conform and become a decent girl”. Because society dictates what is proper and acceptable of (especially) women when it comes to their bodies as if they are owned by the general public and have no say over what is supposed to be theirs from the start.
Eat and be Merry points out the irony of having food around at every occasion whether it be celebratory or mourning. Total preparation time: days, maybe even a week. Total eating time: hours at most. Although sharing food can be a fantastic bonding experience, some may agree to the farcicality of it when it’s exaggerated: “All over the world / We eat to celebrate / Until we cannot eat anymore. / Then others celebrate our departure / By eating sumptuously.”
Kanyaa Avatar is a bitter-but-mostly-sweet poem about the relationship between a parent and their child—in this case, between a father and a daughter. How amazing of an experience it is to see one’s child grow and mature and have their own adult worries and responsibilities and family to take care of. At the same time, how sad it is to part with them when they set out to establish their own familial foundation. Despite the physical distance that arises with the ages, the emotional closeness and connection can actually intensify and strengthen: “Connected by love and respect / And connecting the dots / Between parenthood, humanity / And beyond.”
My beloveds are the following four:
The Right Way to Live, for instance, has an impressive structure to it where the story starts with an elder person’s death and culminates with “la petite morte” of two lovers conceiving them. If read from the end to the beginning, the poem would still make sense and be just as a profound in meaning. It speaks of how mundane and hectic life can become as we grow older and forget to tap into the child within us. And all there is that awaits us in the end is death.
Bare Expression muses on the tragedy of female nudity and nakedness, two words that in the poem have two different meanings even if, essentially speaking, it’s not having any clothes on. While a girl can be found bare running around and playing in a village, she is expected to be fully clothed as she grows older because “As she differentiated / She got to cover herself for dignity / To conform and become a decent girl”. Because society dictates what is proper and acceptable of (especially) women when it comes to their bodies as if they are owned by the general public and have no say over what is supposed to be theirs from the start.
Eat and be Merry points out the irony of having food around at every occasion whether it be celebratory or mourning. Total preparation time: days, maybe even a week. Total eating time: hours at most. Although sharing food can be a fantastic bonding experience, some may agree to the farcicality of it when it’s exaggerated: “All over the world / We eat to celebrate / Until we cannot eat anymore. / Then others celebrate our departure / By eating sumptuously.”
Kanyaa Avatar is a bitter-but-mostly-sweet poem about the relationship between a parent and their child—in this case, between a father and a daughter. How amazing of an experience it is to see one’s child grow and mature and have their own adult worries and responsibilities and family to take care of. At the same time, how sad it is to part with them when they set out to establish their own familial foundation. Despite the physical distance that arises with the ages, the emotional closeness and connection can actually intensify and strengthen: “Connected by love and respect / And connecting the dots / Between parenthood, humanity / And beyond.”
February 20, 2015
Poems about life different stages and ups and downs relationships religion and many many other subjects found it slow at times. Some poems obviously relevant to some but not all people interesting in some parts .
December 10, 2014
I won this and was automatically excited to see a note from the author. There was a lot of good poems in this book and they were about the changes of life, the good and the bad. I liked this book and as a future teacher thought it may help with high school students who were struggling with things.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews