The Analecta

by Harshvardhan Rai

"For those sights, O, thy naive soul craves

As I rest, in damp dark concealed graves

Thus – thou shall attain thy surged urge

Whither, I rest in the realm as I merge

Now – how thou see the world’s hue

With a poor grin – and eyes in dew?"

A book that the world of poetry craved but never demanded.

"The Analecta" contains various Romantic and Aesthetic poetry in English. Read The Analecta to know what more the poet of Romanticism has to offer...

118 pages, Paperback

First published August 18, 2022

About the author

Harshvardhan Rai is a poet, author, vocalist, and cultural thinker whose creative world rests at the confluence of literature, philosophy, music, history, mythology, and critical theory. Deeply drawn to both the aesthetics and mechanics of language, he writes across genres—poetry, reflective prose, and experimental narrative—interrogating the self, society, memory, and meaning through a distinctly metaphysical and introspective lens.

His works often meditate on themes of solitude, transcendence, identity, time, mythopoeia, and existential yearning. Stylistically, his writing is lyrical, symbolic, and intertextual—merging classical sensibilities with modern intellectual rhythms. He blends literary craft with philosophical undertones, exploring ideas shaped by existentialism, mysticism, structuralism, postcolonialism, and aesthetic humanism.

Harshvardhan’s fields of engagement span a wide terrain: Comparative Literature, Languages, Sociology, Cultural Studies, Critical Theories, Psychoanalytics, Literary Criticism, Musicology, Aesthetics, Linguistics, Anthropology, Religious Studies, History, Politics, and Philosophy. He draws from ancient traditions and contemporary thought alike—studying how myth, metaphor, psyche, and culture construct and deconstruct human narratives.

He is the author of The Analecta—a meditative poetry collection that traverses inner landscapes of remembrance, metaphysics, pain, beauty, silence, and mythic consciousness. The book has been received by readers as a soul-searching tapestry of poetic introspection and cultural depth.

Outside of writing, he is an Indian classical vocalist and a multi-instrumentalist with a deep love for sonic traditions—blending musical intuition with literary imagination. His lifelong pursuit is rooted in the idea of becoming a philomath: one who learns endlessly, reflects deeply, and expresses authentically.

Harshvardhan draws inspiration from a diverse array of literary and philosophical figures, including John Keats, Franz Kafka, Albert Camus, Fyodor Dostoevsky, Jean-Paul Sartre, Friedrich Nietzsche, Samuel Beckett, Oscar Wilde, Marcel Proust, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Edgar Allan Poe, Charles Bukowski, Sadegh Hedayat, Sabahattin Ali, Fernando Pessoa, Simone de Beauvoir, Geetanjali Shree, Faiz Ahmed Faiz, Vinod Kumar Shukla, Nirmal Verma, Manav Kaul, Shrilal Shukla, Harishankar Parsai, Dharamveer Bharati, and Raghuvir Sahay. Their works continue to shape his literary ethos and philosophical inquiries.

Reviews

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yes, I have not gone through any poetry books in my life yet.

But this time when I saw this book which is written by a 22 years old young author, my excitement couldn't stop me to refer it on my social media.

So hey people, if you are kind of poetry lover or eager to read something new and exciting, give it a try.

You will love it :-)

[Prasanna Lakshmi · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Analecta: A poetic anthology is an exquisitely chosen compilation of poignant poetry. Every composition strikes a deep chord, addressing themes of self-reflection, love, and loss. Well worth reading and rereading, this book is the ideal companion for peaceful times.

[Yogmaya Vashishtha]

Such a beautiful collection of poems. Absolutely relished reading some of the poems written by the author. He uses rich language, imagiary, and megaphone to compley such complex feelings and ideas. Loved every bit of it.

[Mudit Narayan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A sensational debut.

[Km · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a debut👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
Loved the poignant poetry, looking forward to reading more from the author:)

[Zaim · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would love to read more of his writing.

[Abhishek Sharma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book!