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What kind of poetry is being written today? This topic is frequently debated in various programs and discussions. In the second edition of the ‘Today’s Poetry’ session at the Tikapur Literature Festival, poets Shyamal and Biplav Pratik engaged in a discourse on this subject. The session was moderated by poet Prajwal Adhikari.
Poet Shyamal emphasized that today’s poetry should express the concerns, struggles, and emotions of contemporary people. He stated, “The present is extremely important. Every writer and artist reflects on the issues of their own time. Whatever you need to grasp, you must grasp from today itself. Every poet tells the story of their own era.”
However, Shyamal is not completely satisfied with today’s poetry. He remarked, “Nepali poetry has not engaged in a dialogue in a way that satisfies me. It has yet to fully address the present. Some poets today are religious without truly understanding religion, which makes their approach rather superficial.”
Poet Pratik, on the other hand, attributed the decline of poetry to flaws in the education system. However, he also insisted that one should not lose hope in today’s poetry. He said, “There is no reason to be hopeless. There is potential. Poetry cannot be compared to anything else. It transcends human emotions, love, relationships, and even philosophical ideologies. Comparing poetry is meaningless.”
Poet Shyamal believes that Nepali prose poetry has yet to evolve beyond the styles of Gopal Prasad Rimal and Bhupi Sherchan. He asserted, “Poetry has its own language. It must be allowed to speak freely. But right now, that is not happening.”
Poet Pratik warned against writing poetry simply for the sake of becoming a celebrity. He remarked, “Poetry is a long path of dedication and practice.”
Sharing his experience, he said, “I started writing poetry at the age of 16. In the first eight years, I wrote ten baskets full of poems. It was only after that period that my poetry began to take shape. Even now, I don’t consider myself a poet—I feel like a medium. This is my ongoing struggle.”
The Tikapur Literature Festival will continue until the 26th.
