• The Kite Runner: Book Review
• The Electric Fan: Poetry
• How Nanigopal Became "A Pangolin": Poetry

Our vision for the Winterline Journal is to provide a forum for building community among those of us who were born, raised, or simply interested in India and Pakistan and neighboring lands. It is a way to reminisce, share our stories & love for these two countries and cultures with one another.

PLEASE share your recommendations with our readers. Read Sylvia Staub's book review....and send us your ideas, too.

BOOK REVIEW by Sylvia Staub

THE KITE RUNNER
by Khaled Hosseini
324 pp. New York: Riverhead Books $24.95

A first novel by an Afghan doctor that is history, a travelogue, and a human tale of friendship, betrayal and expiation, skillfully woven together, that will hold the reader to its pages.

The book's historical landscape stretches from the last peaceful days of the monarchy through the dramatic events of the civil war and the terrible tyranny of the Taliban. The personal story is of the friendship between Amir, the motherless son of a Pashtun (ruling-class) doctor, and his loyal and caring servant, Hassan. As boys, they fly kites together, which might be interpreted as a symbol of the frailness of life and the skill required to fly (survive) in a violent world as the old ways change.

Amir betrays Hassan, failing to come to his rescue at a kite-flying contest at which Hassan is attacked by upper-class bullies—and spends the ensuing years haunted by his cowardice. His guilt persists long after he and his father emigrate to California, its prick in time dictating his return to Afghanistan to find and, belatedly, rescue Hassan from the tormented, poverty-stricken world created by the Taliban. Whether he is successful, or not, I leave for the reader to discover.

One can learn much from this book of pre-revolutionary Afghan warmth and humor, folk lore and ancient customs, and of inter-ethnic friction. A wonderful read!

(Also see, Edward Hower's comments in the The New York Times Book Review - August 3, 2003.)

Poets Among Us

Poets -- observers of inner & outer landscapes -- paint picturesque phrases, assemble sharp or sweet sentiment mosaics...craft collages of odd, everyday & poignant moments.

Step into an arresting terrain. Savor the wordcraft, silently and aloud -- you may be surprised at the difference.

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Sylvia Staub's poem "Bengali Afternoon" in our JULY issue reminded my sister, Victoria, of her own poems - written in the 1980's - referring to her Pakistani childhood. A long-time admirer of Victoria's poetry, I'm very pleased to share her work with you. More will follow in future "Winterline Journal" issues.

The Electric Fan
by Victoria Brush

How quickly it has become August,
the month of brilliant suns
when our houses gather heat
as if storing it for the coming winter.

There is a breeze today,
so I am cleaning my fan.
I dip each clear blue blade under the faucet
and watch the cool water
spread across its smooth surface.
The trees outside stir,
re-arranging sunlight on the kitchen wall.

On these rich days
of too much heat and too much light
the steady hum of my fan
reminds me of Asian summers
when I was a child and lived in
a high-ceilinged, white-washed house.

In those summers the Pakistan sun
burned down on us from dawn
so we lowered the shades at breakfast
and stayed indoors.
We wandered slowly from room to room, certain
a sudden movement would crack
the cool inside air
where the day's heat could enter.
Sometimes on those days
the only sounds we heard
were the drone of the ceiling fans
and the occasional whine of a Cessna.

© Copyright 1981-2003, Victoria Brush

Readers may email Victoria: vbrush@mindspring.com
You may also enjoy reading her poem "Himalayan September"

We are delighted to introduce a young Bengali poet...Smart, witty, and beautiful, at 19, Sudeshna fashions herself after Emily Dickinson. She's an English Honours student at a Calcutta college and was awarded first prize by a New Delhi publisher for this poem. Fluent in Bengali, Hindi, and English, Sudeshna does literary translations of her and her father's creative writings from one language to another.

A magnificent Bengal Tiger

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Readers NOTES:
ALIPORE is the famous or once famous Calcutta zoo.A PANGOLIN is a long-tailed, scaled covered ant-eating mammal.
SUNDARBANS is a famous Bengal tiger preserve, reknown for man-eating tigers.

How Nanigopal Became "A Pangolin"
by Sudeshna Chakraborty

I know a tiger
At the Alipore zoo
Who hides himself
While going to the loo.

Visitors he does
Seldom eat
For he is happy with
Beef and meat.

A deep deep ditch
Surrounds his den
Into which sometimes pop
Foolish men.

On January first
An inebriated soul
Entered his cage
Through a tiny hole.

It was alcohol ethyl
That made him bold
For he carried a wreath
Of marigold!

"Who are you?"
The tiger roared.
"Nanigopal, Sir,
I'm so bored.

You look so royal
You look so fine,
Do you mind wearing
This garland of mine?"

The archcat licked
His watery jaws
And welcomed Nani
With outstretched paws.

"You remind me of my
Sundarbans days
Where they worship me
With hymns and preys.

Of course I like
Your humility
But as you know
It's time for my tea.

I hadn't had much
To eat last night
You smell so yummy
Let's have a bite.

But before I begin
My favourite dish,
Let me know your
Dying wish."

Nani said boldly,
"Tiger dear,
Death or worse
I do not fear.

I read the Gite and
Know quite well
Rebirth is certain
It can not fail.

I only wish that
I be born again
In this lovely zoo
In a coop or pen."

"So be it,
Your wish I grant,"
The tiger settled
With a loud chant.

Soon in the city
Of metro and tram
Was born 'a pangolin'
Nanigopal's anagram.

© Copyright 2003, Sudeshna Chakraborty

A recent photo of the young poet, sent to us by her proud father.

Readers may email Sudeshna: sudy_chax@yahoo.com

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Be sure not to miss Sudeshna's Dad's poignant contribution TO MY SISTER, which closes this newsletter.

 

Copyright 2003, Chipkali Creations & Stanley E. Brush