Epitaphs

Foreword Here lies One whose Name was writ in Water — John Keats This has been one of the profound epitaphs that were playing in our minds as we edited this anthology that includes epitaphs by the living poets around the world. We have received bulk submissions from across the world, but we have tried to include the ones that read spontaneous, lively and hearty. We strictly refused the submissions that appeared too fabricated and where the poet wrote just for the sake of writing an epitaph. By all measures an epitaph must strike a chord with your inner being almost instantaneously! This volume of work bears epitaphs written by the poets (a few of them are famous indeed in your own rights), belonging to India, United States of America, United Kingdom, Nigeria, Philippines, and Bangladesh. One might ask why we chose epitaph as a subject. Let us share our insight here. Poetry essentially hosts silence that thrives on the unspoken/unwritten words by the poets. An epitaph is a definite way of celebrating this silence. Moreover, an epitaph allows its readers a direct access to the psyche of the poet, and it results in better understanding of the inner world of the poet concerned. Although an epitaph is attached to death or deaths, it rejoices the Prana in the core of the void pertaining to the ‘apparent’ loss of life/lives. In its humble way an epitaph challenges ‘death.’ What would have been more relaxing than to negate the tears that well up upon the loss of the worldly attachments? Let us enjoy life even in death! Sincerely, Kiriti Sengupta Calcutta, India 23rd of August, 2014.