Love's Existential Song (Selected Poems)

Bijay Kishore Sundar Ray was born in 1949 and belongs to Bhubaneswar. He joined the Indian Administrative Service in 1972 and retired in the rank of Chief Secretary to the government of Chhattisgarh.

In his, "Love's Existential Song", Ray reiterates his assertion for existence amid a brutal world where sinister forces are out to destroy love. A poet against injustice and a poet for humanity, Ray leaves no stone unturned to liberate love from a volcano of vulgarity. He is deeply pained by the commercial face of existence and tries to restore love and human values to a spirit of immortality in a fiercely competitive world.

In his poems, Ray highlights his revolt against hypocrisy and falsehood and questions the growing greed and materialism. "I write poetry", says Ray, "to explore a world of beauty and truth. To me, writing poetry is a liberating experience". An author of 21 books, Ray continues to write with a single-minded devotion to strengthen and consolidate his creative journey. "As a writer, I'm unstoppable", says Ray.

Ray lives in Raipur (Chhattisgarh) where he intends to pursue his literary activities.

"Tonight I can write my saddest lines", wrote Pablo Neruda, the Nobel laureate. And his feelings of sadness pushed me to write poetry where melancholy is married to melody. I entered a world where words spoke to me like the music of an early morning, a freshness beyond fear and a happiness beyond horror!

I'm not judgmental about poetry, but there is a conviction in my heart of hearts that an assault on falsehood, hypocrisiy, brutality and injustice through my poetic lines can sing that existential song irrespective of joy and sadness. I'm no poet if I don't love humanity and I'm no poet if I don't raise my voice against the horror threatening humanity.

I must express my thanks to all my friends and well wishers whose support and encouragement have strengthened my enthusiasm for a creative journey.

B.K.S. Ray