Kahini Patay Patay (Stories written in Leaves)

The book "Kahini Patay Patay" is written by the notable author of Bengali children's literature Faruk Nawaz. He is a poet, essayist, novelist and a renowned editor of Bengali literature, currently working as an executive editor of a national magazine. He is writing for children and teenagers for several decades with his artistic hands. His poetry, fictions and non-fictions are awe-inspiring. "Kahini Patay Patay" is published by Anan Prokashon. There are 21 well-knitted poems in this book.

The first poem of the book named 'Kahini Patay Patay' (Stories written in Leaves) shows the beauty of the woods as well as the nature. The poet portrayed the scenery of the beautiful nature where many stories are written in the trees, leaves, birds and the animals. He used plenty of imageries that reader might feel like walking in the woods while reading it.

Afterwards, in a poem named 'Ei Kobita ti Tomar Jonno' (This poem is for you), we feel an impulsive touch when we read the first two lines 'Tomar songe jani to amar hobe na kokhono dekha/ Matir kalite pakhir palok dubiye dubiye lekha' (I know that we will never meet/ I am writing the poem with birds feather by the ink of clay). These lines remembering us of Rabindranath Tagore's Poem 'The Year 1400' where he wrote 'A hundred years from this day/ Who are you that sits down to read my poem.' The poet is also scared of that day when everything of the present days will become a fairy tale, because people will make the world like a desert by cutting trees, woods and meadows. The world will be fulfilled with the depression. Likewise, in the poem 'Nodi ta Amar Nodi' (The river is my river), he is also scared of land grabbers who grabbed his favourite river.

Nature is the part and parcel of his poetry. In his poem 'Bhorer Kobita' (The Poem of the Dawn), he portrays the pleasant beauty of the dawn and compared it as the sacred time filled with divinity and virtues. He also depicted the day as well as the night. In the poem 'Raater Kobita' (The Poem of the Night), the animated beauty of the night is seen.

Readers will love to read the poem on Bangabandhu and Bangladesh. He wrote several poems on Bangabandhu, Bangladesh and the history of 1971. In a poem named 'Ei Aamader Desh' (This is Our Country), he wrote about the secularism which is the pivotal thing in Bangladesh. He admired how peacefully Bengalis are leaving with the cultural diversity. In a poem called 'Alor Michile Tara Chirokal' (They are Forever in the Procession of the light), the poet showed a tribute to the Martyred Intellectuals who were brutally killed on 14 December, 1971 to destroy the nation.

The excellence and greatness of Bangabandhu are mentioned in several poems in this book. In the poem named 'Tokhon Tumi Sahos Jagao Pita' (When You Arouse the Courage Father), he narrated the contributions of the Bangabandhu, The father of the nation of Bangladesh. Bangabandhu always provides him bravery and courage when he is in vain. This is why he writes, 'Jokhon bhabi sopno bujhi britha/ Tokhon tumi sahos jagao pita' (When I think my dreams are futile/ Then you arouse the courage to me father).

Thus, Faruk Nawaz's enchanted words will fascinate the readers. The imageries and the analogies used in this book are very charming. Readers must enjoy the aesthetic beauty of his writing.

The reviewer is a Poet, Essayist and Literary Critic