Essay on Background Casually by Nissim Ezekiel - 3367 Words

1.5 POET, LOVER, BIRD WATCHER The best poem of this volume Poet, Lover, Bird-watcher displays Ezekiels views on poets problems. He thinks the best poets wait for words, like ornithologists sitting in silence to see birds. Poet, Lover, Birdwatcher is one of the better known poems of Ezekiel and has received considerable critical attention. It epitomizes the poets search for a poetics which would help him redeem himself in his eyes and in the eyes of the god. Parallelism is drawn between the poet, the lover and the Birdwatcher. All the three have to wait patiently in their respective pursuits, indeed their waiting is a sort of strategy, a plan of action which bear fruit it persisted in and followed with patience. It is patient waiting†¦show more content†¦A Muslim sportsman boxed my ears. 10 I grew in terror of the strong But undernourished Hindu lads, Their prepositions always wrong, Repelled me by passivity. One noisy day I used a knife. 15 At home on Friday nights the prayers Were said. My morals had declined, I heard of Yoga and of Zen. Could I, perhaps, be rabbi-saint? The more I searched, the less I found 20 Twenty-two: time to go abroad. First, the decision, then a friend To pay the fare. Philosophy, Poverty and Poetry, three Companions shared my basement room. 25 2 The London seasons passed me by. I lay in bed two years alone, And then a Woman came to tell My willing ears I was the Son Of Man. I knew that I had failed 30 44 Gathered Grace In everything, a bitter thought. So, in an English cargo-ship Taking French guns and mortar shells To Indo-China, scrubbed the decks, And learned to laugh again at home. 35 How to feel it home, was the point Some reading had been done, but what Had I observed, except my own Exasperation? All Hindus are Like that, my father used to say, 40 When someone talked too loudly, or Knocked at the door like the Devil. They hawked and spat. They sprawled around. I prepared for the worst. Married, Changed jobs, and saw myself a fool. 45 The song of my experience sung, I knew that all was yet to sing. My ancestors, among the castes, Were aliens crushing seed for bread (The hoodedShow MoreRelatedEssay about Nissim Ezekiel and A.K. Ramanujan2082 Words   |  9 Pages Nissim Ezekiel (December 24 1924 - January 9, 2004 ) was a poet, playwright and art critic. He was considered the foremost Indian writer in English English-languagegt; of his time. Contents 1 Early life gt; 2 Career gt; 3 Books by Nissim Ezekiel gt; 4 Some of his well-known poems gt; Early life Ezekiel was born in Bombay (now Mumbai Mumbai). Ezekiel’s father was a botany professor and his mother, principal of her own school. He belonged to Mumbais small Bene Israel Jewish community.