OF POETS AND PROPHETS
Jernail S Aanand
Poets are often cajoled and called Prophets
So that they feel elevated
And keep on doing their unsavoury job
Which no sane person would do.
Hundreds of people who know .
I am a diehard poet
Ask me a straight question
How much royalty do you get?
They think poets too like mathematicians
Get hefty amounts of royalty.
From eager publishers
Who are after them with hefty cheques
We do not open a shop
Whose wares do not sell
Still poets belong to an aristocracy
Which like royalty is on the brink of bankruptcy
I think poets should also get together
Like farmers and ask the govt
For Minimum Support Price
For their writings.
Only yesterday I was told by a friend
That a friend who wanted
To publish a book
Was asked to pay four lakh rupees.
The package deal included promotions
In mainstream newspapers
Does money, not merit
Bring books to the selling charts?
A friend then suggested to me
Why don't you open a shrine
Don't you see people go to Prophets
With offerings.
There is a Poets Rock in Serbia
Why not have a Poets Shrine in India
Good people might pay obeisance
And in return get 'prasad' of Poetry?
Already poets in India are all
On a part time basis
They are well paid in their jobs
And can spend on publication packages.
Poets and writers are guinea pigs of research
The Universities take care of researchers
And they are paid well
Poets and creators are no one's responsibility.
Papers have full pages for corporates
And sports
And all the pages for crime and politics
Poet? Hence sirrah! It is time for business..
Dr. Jernail Singh Anand, the author of 150 plus books, is the receipent of the Charter of Morava, the highest Serbian International Award in Creativity, at the 60th Belgrade International Writers Meeting. His name was engraved in the Poets’ Rock in Serbia, a rare honour for an Indian author. He already holds The Franz Kafka Literature Prize, Maxim Gorky International Literary Award, Cross of Peace, and Cross of Literature (Italy) awards.
Dr Anand is Founder Chairperson of the International Academy of Ethics, and an Honorary Member of the Association of Serbian Writers, Belgrade. He is Prof Emeritus in Indian Literature at The European Institute of the Roma Studies and Research Belgrade. Dr Anand is credited with the theory of Bio-text (critical theory). His work has been translated into more than twenty world languages.
Author of 9 epics which are regarded as modern classics, Anand has organized 5 International Literary Conferences.
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