Bouquet and Garlands (Vol. 2)

In this second compilation of poems, “ Bouquet and Garlands , Volume II, the author has included 69 of his English poems composed during the period 2007 to 2018. The poems are based on his interaction with people from all walks of life – friends, relatives, scientific workers, students. The first compilation of 41 poems was published by Authorspress, New Delhi in 2007.The message he wants to convey again through his poetry is to realize and control the aberrations in human behaviour and carrying a message to lift human beings to a sublime level to control such tendencies which he feels is at the bottom of the many personal problems in human relationships. They reflect on the ultimate futility of ego and self-projection. Some of the poems are of a lighter vein and invokes pun to highlight the vagaries of modern life which leads to often conflicting styles of life. A few Elegies on the demise of noted personalities are also included. Due to his professional background as a scientist, some poems incorporate scientificprinciples and a few scientific analogies are often used. Some contain lessons to be learnt from nature and are allegorically projected to human life.An intrinsic message of peace and tranquility runs through the poems. The author tries to bring together and reconcile the ultimate objectives of science and religious philosophy which merges at the highest level.His poems show his eagerness to deliver a message and lead one to some profoundthoughts relevant to modern times. The compilation also contains 11 Malayalam compositions. There is one section that contains English translation of Kunjan Nambiar’s famous Malayalam couplets whose messages defy the times. English translations of Thiruvalluvar’s Kurals related to medicine which again is applicable stunningly to our times are included in another part. Some Tamil translations of his own English poems by Vijaya which is noted for its simplicity and retaining the original flavor are also included. His Bouquet and Garlands has also been translated into Tamil ( Poonkothum Poomalayum ) by a Tamil literary figure Dr. Vridhachalam Subramanian and published as a separate book in 2015. The last section includes the striking poetic work of a young child’s mind which illustrates how the thought stream behind poetic compositions differs from that of an elderly mind.