Wanderer by Rajender Krishan
Paperback ISBN : 978-1-947403-15-4 Amazon ebook ASIN : B08T7VS8DZ
Available on Amazon USA | Amazon India  

I know poets belong to a different clan of creative writing. They are more emotional, sensitive, vocal and, well, at times whimsical and moody also. Their expressions vary from simple and straight forward to complex and enigmatic at times. Nevertheless, they never feel tired of expressing themselves candidly most of the times.

I have been following Rajender Krishan’s writing for long. He is knowledgeable, receptive and quite sensitive to the happenings around him. They trigger him from time to time to pen his thoughts short or long he prefers to share. 

I was fortunate enough to read and do the preview of the hundred verses he had penned under the title ‘Wanderer’. In the Preface itself he tells the readers that the substance of the book ‘thoughts seem to go nowhere or merely hover aimlessly’. The titles of the poems are quite simple and relatable to our daily life except a few.

I feel, most of them are unbridled expressions of what the author felt in the journey of life as a Wanderer. Let me share some of the expressions he had given; In ‘Conscience’ he says ‘knows all, yet remains buried beneath the vagaries of mind’.  He refers in ‘Shadows’ as a ‘dogged companion’ as ‘aide memoire’ and ‘Joie de vivre’ and so the best companion. In ‘Opinion’ he wonders ‘if there is a power on earth stronger than one’s own mind.’ How true! In poems titled ‘Crux’, ‘Insight’, ‘Debate’, ‘Wanderer’ every way makes the reader think over after reading. He also says categorically ‘Life offers achievable choices to one who is true and sincere’ in ‘Cue’.

The author’s strong lines ‘Life though forever in a flux, is simply dynamic and wonderful, united in its existential diversity’ touch both the heart and intellect. In ‘Prayers’ he reiterates how and when the when the pleas will be answered. The importance of how one should be true to oneself is pointed out in ‘Commonsense’. ‘Fire of Life’ is profound and powerful. His life’s personal touch could be sensed through ‘Togetherness’ and ‘The Maple Tree’.

While ‘Naissance’ is deep and beautiful ‘New Era’ makes one think and understand his anguish in ‘Venal’, smile on reading the lines of ‘Syndrome’ and how the wanderer explores the labyrinth of life in ‘Encounters’.

In general, all the verses are extremely readable as well as relatable to oneself to life and its shades.

Nitpicking?

Yes. Though the author’s style is simple and stylish in his own way, some places they sound more prosaic or abstract. But, they are very few.

In one way or other we are all ‘Wanderers’ unaware of our destinations. Our passages are unquestionably strewn with roses and thorns. When persons like us tread them as an exercise, a poet like Rajender Krishan could identify the nuances of them and bring them in the form of short and long limericks.

I cannot but admire the illustrations in black and white in the modern genre for each title by Niloufer Wadia. They are eye catching and thought provoking.

A book should make one think after reading it. ‘Wanderer’ is bound to make every reader ruminate over the life and its trail after reading these hundred poems.


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