Kathmandu, Nov 7: A collection of
poems by American poet David Austell translated into Nepali language was
released amidst a function held today in the capital city.
The poem collection 'Nirdoshharuko
Nyay' (Judgement of Innocents) is translated by Nepali poet Yuyutsu RD Sharma.
The collection comprises poems recounting the poet's childhood, the Vietnam War,
interaction with a brother in a heaven, death of friend's mother among others.
The compilation draws on the best poems from Austell's 'Little Creek' and
'Garuda'.
In the programme, David Austell, who
is known as an emerging voice in the contemporary American poetry, said the
poets are singers of the world. Before reciting his poet 'A Tree is on Fire'
Austell underlined that images of spiritual background permeated the poem while
adding he had drawn images from Christian religion in the poem.
Austell read out his 'Judgement of
the Innocents', 'A Tree is on Fire' and 'Garuda'. When reading out 'Garuda', a
poem on Hindu mythical bird-God, the American poet said that ancient religions
affect humans today and that writings were also steeped in the influence of the
ancient religions.
The poet underscored his effort to
combine modernism and spiritualism in his poems, while relating the influence
Nepal and Nepali literature had on him.
In the programme, poet Yuyutsu
Sharma related how he had met with Austell. He said both of them had found each
other at an unknown alpine of snow desert.
"The essence of being a poet is
in him (Austell)," Sharma said. "Poetry is David's recreation when he
is in leisure," he said.
David Austell is the Associate Provost
and Director of the International Students and Scholars Office at Columbia
University in New York city of the US. Austell is also a musician and has been
writing poems in leisurely hours. He came to Nepal at the invitation of the US
ambassador to Nepal.
