As autumn gives way to winter, here are explorations that give us a glimpse of the season, its colours, its feel across different parts of the world and their varied interpretations. We have the vibrancy captured in colours by Sohana Manzoor and Sybil Pretious. There are reactions to events that happened at this time in different parts of the globe from Ratnottama Sengupta and Sutputra Radheye — have we healed after these events? Have things got better?
As Europe starts a new wave of pandemic lockdowns, Mike Smith takes us for a trip to Trieste, rich with the heritage of James Joyce, Umberto Saba and Baron Von Trapp of Sound of Music. Prose from Tagore(1861-1941) translated by Somdatta Mandal showcases some of his reactions while traveling in Japan, America and Europe in the autumn of his life. We can vicariously travel to different parts of the planet! While verses by Michael Burch and George Freek explore the season and the autumn of life, poetry by Rhys Hughes and Sekhar Banerjee add zest to the fall with humour. Revathi Ganeshsundram brings us a poignant narrative of new friendships. A short story from maestro storyteller from Holland, Louis Couperus(1863-1923), translated by Chaitali Sengupta, paints a darker hue of autumn while Tagore’s poetry gives us a festive feel generated by the season in Bengal. Enjoy our melange of autumnal lores!
Poetry
Autumn & Me: Poetry by Michael Burch. Click here to read.
Algae Masks: Poetry by Sekhar Banerjee. Click here to read.
Autumnal Dirge: Poetry by Sutputra Radheye. Click here to read.
The Night Music: Poetry by George Freek. Click here to read.
A story poem by Rhys Hughes about The Clock Tower of Sir Ticktock Bongg, who spends his autumn of life in the most peculiar way. Click here to read.
Translation of Amaar Nayano Bhulano Ele or The Advent Song by Tagore describes autumn in Bengal. Click here to read.
Prose
Yesterday Once More?: Ratnottama Sengupta revisits an autumn in Egypt. Click here to read.
Me & James Joyce in Trieste: Mike Smith travels in autumn to Trieste, an autumn in a pre-pandemic world. Click here to read.
Of Days & Seasons: A parable by Louis Couperus, translated from Dutch by Chaitali Sengupta. Click here to read
The Cockatoo: A short story about new friendships in the autumn of life by Revathi Ganeshsundaram. Click here to read.
Letters from Japan, Europe & America: An excerpt from letters written by Tagore in the autumn of his life, translated from Bengali by Somdatta Mandal. Click hereto read.
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