Upon the Forehead, the Morn doth Break

That day

When the evening descended

The morning moon,

hung low in the sky

Seemed mighty pleasurable

The body wrapped

In the faint moonlight

Like the sky

inebriated by an abundance of darkness

and, after all

How does one proceed with the act of living?

Quite unexpectedly,

seeped into the bones

A rather intense thirst,

Somewhere, an iron nail,

Was struck

shudder a notch

passed out

across the timber

Only kept shining, 

It’s head 

Quite distinctly

Amorphous, akin to a waning moon,

What a lovely adornment!

Dr. Jagdish Gupt (1924–2001) was an influential poet, painter, literary critic, archaeologist, and educator whose literary and artistic endeavours played a pivotal role in redefining the contours of the Nayi Kavita during the twentieth century. His contribution was of utmost importance in elucidating the theoretical underpinnings and core ideas of the movement. Dr. Gupt held a firm belief that “sentiments” and “rhythm” together formed foundational elements of both poetry and art and were imperative in crafting a harmonious aesthetic experience. His extensive literary corpus encompasses more than twenty-five books of poetry, literary essays, criticism, and the history of literature along with critical works on Indian Art, demonstrating his lifelong commitment to the arts and literature. His most well-known works include Bahulochana Nadi, Himviddha, Shabddansh, Kavitantar, Shambuk, Bodhivriksha, and others. His multifaceted personality added a new dimension to his creative output. He was conferred the Bharat Bharti Puraskar by the Uttar Pradesh Government and the Maithili Sharan Gupt Puraskar by the Madhya Pradesh Government for his invaluable contribution to Hindi Literature. He had the honour of serving in the Hindi department of Allahabad University, holding the esteemed positions of Professor and Head of the Department.

Shubha Dwivedi is a poet and translator. She teaches English Literature at Atma Ram Sanatan Dharma College, University of Delhi, India.