Book Review by Santosh Bakaya
Director, Magazine Forum at Commissionerate of College Education, Rajasthan
Former Deputy Director at directorate of higher education Jaipur, Rajasthan India
“A sudden discovery.
Cancerous lymphatic nodes.
All thing change
Darkness descends.
The universe turns upside down.”
Thus writes the poet, Ashok Bhargava, in one of his heart-rending poems, [What Is Wished and Can’t Be, Page 12]
But, wait, darkness does not descend, and the world does not turn upside down. On the contrary, the visionary poet, after indulging in a little bit of self-pity, and lachrymose indignation, being tormented by the nocturnal demons, grips himself tightly, yanks away all negativities and forges ahead with a new resilience, wanting to ‘build rainbow dreams again’ and to ‘wait patiently Until the grey sky invites the sunlight to shine.’ [Morning Serenade, Page 1]
In a similar strain of sanguine hope, resorting to auto–suggestion, he says,
‘Music flows from the hollowness of a flute.
I shall be capable of any tune.’ [Beings Of Light, Page 58]
Come on, folks, prick up your ears and listen to the message hidden in the words of this highly optimistic poet. In Revival [Page 60], he says,
‘The world is filled with people
Who have never lived.”
He exhorts everyone to seize love, for love is all that matters in a chaotic world.
‘This moment is all we have
Feel its transience
Its sparkle
Live life in the moment.’ [Live In A Moment, Page 45]
“Love never ceases to exist.
……
Along the way it sings
Melodies to the night.” [Love, Page 46]
In this world, there is no dearth of people who go around with Mephistophelean frowns, wallowing in self–pity, propelled forward, only by mercenary gains and selfish ends but here, between the 80 pages of this volume of poetry (Riding The Tide by Ashok Bhargava), we find a man [And what a man!] who, instead of quailing before the cancerous onslaught of vile Time, ploughs forth with a never-say-die spirit, exemplifying the dictum, ‘When the going gets tough, the tough gets going.’
His positivity rises above his agony, his apprehensions, as he watches the blizzards swirling across the sky, and the power of his prayers, is such that, ‘Even waves lift me up When I am about to drown.’ [The Power Of Prayer, Page 6]
There is a grandeur in the simplicity of his verses and a wealth of meaning in his short, succinct and sublime poetry. By the time, one finishes reading this slim volume of poetry, one is suffused with a robust energy of hope, of love and three words just slip through one’s lips, ‘Take a Bow!’
Global Fraternity of Poets, Gurugram, Haryana, has done a commendable job in bringing out Riding The Tide by Ashok Bhargava. This crisply edited volume of poetry, which also proves to be an anti-dote to all negativities, has an immense therapeutic power of lifting the readers from the stygian depths of depression.
Riding The Tide by Ashok Bhargava is highly recommended for everyone, especially for those amongst us, who are passing through a bad phase.
For more information contact Ashok Bhargava 604-327-6040
BOOK Launch: Riding the Tide
December 16, 2017 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Moberly Arts and Cultural Centre Vancouver B.C.