A review of Anoop Varghese P.'s poem "Koodorukkam "

KOODORUKKAM


INTRODUCTION

You won't believe me when I say I was in Facebook long long ago,even before
Zachurburg was born.But it's true.But it was a different kind of Facebook,
with some ingredients of the present one.It happened when I was a student
of B.A English literature at St.Thomas College Pala,in the late 1960s.I started
my own hand-written magazine called 'Joker'.It contained humourous articles
about events of the day,with cartoons drawn by me.My readers included the
late Mr.K.J.Mathew IAS,former Chief Secretary.The magazine was circulated among
students,and even at Alphonsa College hostels.Readers used to write comments.
Mathew and I were classmates from Predegree to M.A.We were close friends.He
liked music.Sometimes,during break,he would request me to sing a song.We would
go to an unused room,and I sang for him.We also wrote short stories and articles in "Deepanalam" weekly.The editor,the late Mr.Devasia Anjoottimangalam
didn't hesitate to publish our writings.Mathew used the pen-name M.J.Kappalumakkal,Chennadu.It's most painful that he left us unexpectedly.

Why does a poet write a poem?And why do some people read and appreciate it?
The answer is:love.Love is everything;love is life itself.Why do some people
not read poems or anything ? i'm not sure.But there's something lacking
in them.That's why I say that the talent to write literature and to appreciate
it is a 'varam'.I think there isn't any equivalent word for 'varam' in English.

AVP's poem 'Koodorukkam" is closest to my heart.The word 'koodu' in itself evokes
a lot of tender,affectionate feelings in our hearts.This word is firmly
associated with love,care,tenederness,warmth,comfort etc etc.In my compound
there are many trees hosting nests-new and old ones.Sometimes I watch their
engineering skills,the ingenuity they apply in constructing the nests comfortable,and secure against the sun,storm and rain.When I check the used
ones,I find soft materials like rags,cotton etc which were used to provide
maximum comfort to the birdlings.

The word 'koodu'is a metaphor that has been widely used in poems and films.
Remember the famous film 'Koodevide,which is a teenager's search for a koodu,
which is synonymous with parental love,in his case.There are many films with
titles such as 'Kattathe kilikkoodu','Koodum thedi' 'snehakoodu' etc.This shows
hows deeply rooted is our love for 'koodu'.

Koodum kilikalum snehathinte metaphor ayi ennum upayogichu varunnau.Koodu
ennu parayumbol veedu ennum dwaniyundu.Kilikku koodu poleyanu
manushyanu veedu.Kilikkoottile nanmakalellamanu nam veettil pratheekshikkunnathu.Ennal yatharthyam angane aano?

Vasthavathil ee bhumi thanne oru koodu alle?Maushyarkkum mrugangalkkum
puzhakalkkum pakshikalkkum ellam vendi davathinte ananthamaya sneham
kondu panitheertha manoharamaya veedu.Bhadramayi sukshikkan manushyane
daivam elpicha veedanitu.Ennal innu ee koodinte sthithy enthu?

All real poets are messengers of love.AVP is a poet whose heart is deeply
wounded by the evils that are destroying this beautiful koodu,earth.His
themes,his philosophy and his gentle style reveal a very sensitive
person with overabundant love.He is a man with a vision;to inspire
others to start recovering what has been forfeited.In the beginning of
the poem,the poet expresses the fragility of life.A new life is surrounded by potential dangers.
'koodorukkam' ennu parayumbol athinu pala arthathalangal undu.Christmas
kalathu ethra ulsahathodu koodiyanu nammal unni yesuvine varavekkan
koodorukkunnathu.Vaidikanaya kaviyude manassil koodinte sankalpam
udichuyarnnathu swafavikamanu.Yesuvinte jananm namukku prathyasa nalkunnu.Yesuvinu vendi nammude manasukalilanu koodorukkunnathu.Oru
puthiya vyavasthakku vendiyanu yesu avatharichathu.ee kavitha nalkunna
sandesam athanu.Oru puthiya koodinu vendi,puthiya bhoomikku vendiyulla
asha ella nalla manushyarilum undu.Aa swapnatheyanu ee kavitha
prathiphalippikkunnathu.Science valare purogamichittundenkilum ee
bhoomiye pole manoharamaya oru koodu aarum ithu vare kandethiyittilla
enna sathyam orkkuka.

The poet uses the beautiful imagery of trees and the river throughout
the poem.The first stanza itself mentions koodu'.

chillayil theertha koottinullil

This stanza refers to the beauty of birth.Ellathinteyum uravidam
snehamanennu ee varikal namme ormippikkunnu.

The beautiful concept of love,care and growth is continued in the
second stanza.The whole stanza is a metaphor of childhood,when you are
surrounded by love,tenderness and care.

Thalarathe thanguvan chuttum snehachirakukal
Varippunaruvanengum snehamizhikal

But what follows is a skydive to the depths of utter hopelessness.It's
most shocking and painful.There's a complete U turn from the pleasantness of the first two stanzas.The poet is referring to degradation
at two levels.First,the destruction of the environment;second,moral degeneration.

Ilakal kozhinju kadin pacha manju
Hrudayangalinnu soonymam marubhoovayi

The above lines drive home both concepts.The 4th stanza extends the dismal
picture.Moral values have vanished from the society.Children are subjected to abuse.There is no sincere love in human relationships.eg

sneham manju pranayam franthamayi
Lokam nagnamayi nanmaye thee vizhungi

"nanmaye thee vizhungi" enna phrase dharmikadhapathanathinte theevrathe
aanu suchippikkunnathu.

In the 5th stanza the poet expresses his wish for a new beginning.He
longs for a new sunrise,a rebirth in our minds and in nature.

He longs for a return to the good old days when there was love,respect,
care and compassion.It's the dream for a new world;a new perspective,a
revival,to be born again.

aa marachillakalil snehakkodu theerkkan
kaikorthidam nanmavattamanassukale

The poem ends in a positive tone just as it began.

The structure of the poem is in such a way that the last stanza completes a full circle.The six stanzas form the pokes of a wheel.This
shows the artistic perfection achieved by the poet.

'Koodorukkam" is very inspiring.Vayuchittu matti vekkanulla oru kavithayalla ithu. Nammal poochedikalkku ennum vellam ozhikkunnathu
pole ennum ithu vayichu ithinte santhosham ullkollanam,jeevithathil
pravarthikamakkanam.Nandi APV.

N.B The break in lines is not deliberate.