Description: Beyond all doubt Taj Mahal Review, pp. 480 June 2005 will enable the readers to enter the world of original creative writings by international authors. Here is a rich feast of extraordinary poems and short stories. The poems included in this issue are devoid of any type of Romantic excess. The poems are harder, saner, and ‘nearer the bone’ as Ezra Pound once said. The short stories included in this issue deal with a variety of themes: alienation, man-woman relationships, revolt against the prevailing social values, spiritual yearning, inner consciousness of the characters. These stories are full of precise observation and characterization, a sincere emotional depth, an impressive freshness in the presentation of situations. The poets in this issue are characterized by a sublime force of individuality and artistic workmanship of very impressive images. No doubt, Taj is the journal for those who love poetry, short story and the spectacle of some of the best contemporary writings. It is time to listen to the voice of the creative authors appearing in this latest issue of Taj.
Edited by: Dr. Santosh Kumar Binding: Paperback (pp: 480 with a separate section of authors bio) ISSN:0972-6004 $25 Availability: In Stock (Ships within 1 to 2 days) Publisher: Cyberwit.net, India Pub. Date: June 2005 Condition: New
Welcome to Taj June 2005! I experienced an ineffable dejection when Tsunami Terror and waves of destruction killed so many innocent children and women in southern India. Countless dead bodies lay on the beaches as more than 130,000 people died. This was the country’s worst natural disaster. The question is if a poor country like India can afford an early warning system to detect such earthquakes so that the tragic history may not be repeated. The whole world felt:
A grief without a pang, void, dark, and drear, A stifled, drowsy, unimpassioned grief, Which finds no natural outlet, no relief, In word, or sigh, or tear. Coleridge, "DEJECTION: AN ODE"
The death of the Pope left the world’s 1.1 billion Roman Catholics lonely and unhappy. He exuded true passion for universal love and peace. Special prayer service were observed in Catholic churches in Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram in India. Pope John Paul II’s daily message transmitted by SMS on April 2, 2005 says: "Know how to recognize in the cross the most eloquent sign of the Lord’s mercy."
Another news that made me unhappy was the sudden passing away of Arthur Miller (1915-2005) on Feb 11, 2005, at the age of ninety. He was an intellectual dramatist, and his best play is All My Sons. Miller himself said, "The fortress which All My Sons lays siege to is the fortress of unrelatedness." Besides, the death of Nobel laureate Saul Bellow on April 5, 2005 was a serious loss for all creative artists. Bellow has been called ‘a master of comic melancholy’. His most famous books are Dangling Man, Herzog, Humboldt’s Gift, Henderson the Rain King, Seize the Day and The Adventures of Augie March. How to cope with the modern world of fret and fury? Bellow answers: "For one thing, it’s the thinking we have to do and all the judgments we have to make. It’s the price of freedom: make the judgments, make the mental calls." Rani Drew along with her husband John from Cambridge UK visited my residence in January 2005. We discussed a lot of things concerned with postmodern creative writing, sale problems, new poetic techniques, ‘concrete’ poetry, disappearance of the author, poetry workshop, etc. Both are very sincere creative writers.
The issue number seven of Taj, June 2005 is devoted to creative writing, not only in English-speaking countries, but to literature in English across the globe. In this issue, I have included all the poems, short stories and essays I found of real interest and quality. I trust some of these writings reveal a social and cultural diversity. The outpouring of lyrical intensity by the poets is a very difficult task in the postmodern era, where we notice the vulgarization of culture by the onslaught of technocratic dictatorship. Genuine creative writing also faces the danger of dissection and deconstruction by New Critics. Edmund Wilson in "The Critic Who Does Not Exist" (1928) comments that the modern author is completely isolated, due to lack of ‘intelligent criticism’. The undisputed fact remains that a creative artist must seek new forms of expression for new issues during postmodern era, so that an authentic portrayal of life, and its multicultural sensibility is possible.
It is my great pleasure to acknowledge, with a very deep sense of gratitude, the help and cooperation of the contributing artists. Best wishes.
Sincerely
SANTOSH KUMAR
REFLECTIONS Cathy Biribauer Deborah La'Sassier J. Lee Fedrick Louie Levy Tom J K Lampit
SHORT STORIES A. Alan Beck Alan M. Danzis Albert Adato Albert Russo Alex Braverman Andrew McIntyre Antonio Graceffo CA Lindsey Christian Avery Bryant David Rambeau Edwin McRae Eileen Thornton Eric Tessier Floriana Hall Gary Date Dudney Geoff Langdon G.K. Wuori Guy Belleranti Janet K. Brennan Jefferson W. Hunt Jennifer York Jerry Craven Jessica Del Balzo John M. Floyd Joanna Donase Judy Radano Julie Failla Earhart J. Joe Sherman Kathryn Rose Larry Thompson Leon Barnes Leona Coulter Lynn Veach Sadler Martin Green Martin M. Jacobsen Mary Margaret Hansen Matt Brown Michael Haulica Miriam Taylor Nickolaus A. Pacione Nyal D. Thomas Paul Alan Fahey Peter Ebsworth Ranjit Sinha Roy Robert Alexander Newman S. J. Reisner Stephen E. Shepherd Steve Shrott Timothy Gager Troy Morash Vanessa Gebbie Vera Searles Victoria Valentine W. S. Mayo
POETRY FROM NORWAY Adam Donaldson Powell
POEMS Alaina Macdonald Albert Edward Gazeley Aldo Rosado Andy Harding Angela Michele Finley Angry Poet Barbara Smilgin Barbara Smith Charles Ray Cindy Chaffold Craig Sernotti Crystal Diane Arbogast Cynth'ya Lewis Reed Dana Kent Gallup David T. Culver David Tremayne-Smith Davide Trame Del Senkbeil Dennis Newell Dwayne Chastain Edward Hanson El-Hadi Kadouf Evelyn "Eden" Bryant Frances J. Gallon Freda H. Babinski Geoff Langdon Gregory A. De Feo Hirsch Lazaar Silverman I. O. Penner Iris Mack Jackey Foster James Scott Janet K. Brennan Jerry Bradley Jessica Healy Josalyn N. Knight Karen Sperry Kelley Jean White Kenneth Francis Pearson Kerryn Boniface Lanie Shanzyra P. Rebancos Laura Stamps Linda L. Bielowski Lisa Zaran Lorraine Sautner Louie Levy Lynn Veach Sadler Margaret C. Rigsby Maria Cristina Azcona Michael D Nalley Michael Estabrook Michael J. Vaughn Mike Kecker Morgan Beverly Chicchelly Naomie Marie Christensen Nora Weston Patricia Patricia Wellingham-Jones Penelope Allen Rani Drew Rebecca Guile Hudson Rhonda Marie Hayman Richard MacAleese Robert Carucci Ron Bliss Rose Marie Streeter Santosh Kumar Sharon W. Flynn Shirley Bolstok Sohan Qadri Stephanie Jarema Sue Mill Susan M Guerra Tatiana Pahlen Teri Schwartz U.V. Ray Victoria Ellison Veronica Pamoukaghlian William F. Hauck Yvonne Sparkes
Using Calgary as a backdrop the author satirizes the self-serving nature of the public as it continues to fatten itself, not only physically, but egotistically as well.
From the author of Jupiter Remembered and Until It’s Time: Embracing Life In Our Later Years comes Petals of Love: Poetry of a Woman’s Soul – a heartfelt collection spanning more than thirty-five years. Through tender reflections, these poems offer g
A further collection of poems, many from years in the Middle East, but also the California San Francisco and Central Coast areas (Santa Cruz, Carmel, Big Sur, Berkeley, etc.).
