Vihang A. Naik

Cyber Literature : Vihang Naik's Collection of his latest poems titled Making A Poem is , in word and spirit, light, bright and sparkling. It rightly claims," to shed fascinating light upon the writing process and the poet's personal aesthetics".

The book contains twenty-five poems neatly arranged in five sections of five poems each though of varying length. the fifth poem of each section carries the theme and holds the title . The first section under the sub title "Are you looking for that poet?" is just down-to-earth approach to poetry and the poet. The plain fact that now a days the poet "is a man like you and me" and "perhaps the muse has left him." sounds simple but "with stale words and tired tongue" what Vihang Naik achieves is near metaphysical conceit. Thus, the very first poem 'Women and Man' startles the reader's imagination to think how "a poet rhymes the woman and the man"(p.13) and surpass the animal instinct. Similarly the poet ascribes the guilt to the reader who looks for sensorial pleasure in poetry.

The second section "The poet as a young man" carries on the poet's wit and cerebral celebration of the usual as romantically unusual. Hence , "if education makes man to look at himself" he discovers "an animal in front of the mirror" (p.25). The third section Making A Poem is equally rewarding with the poet's refreshing approach in which he focuses on "a life within a poem" and how the poet's own life creates his poems. No wonder, "her Odhani stuck to my pen". The palpability of 'Odhani' cannot be replaced more suitably by any other word.

The collection's title poem Making A Poem provides the real joy of reading Vihang Naik, simple , sensuous and impassioned poetry. Isn't Making A Poem the dance of black ink and little light? "In Aquarium" the poet's suggestion that "you think of beauty breathing in the desert of waters and bubbles" is an intelligent presentation of the ordinary made extraordinary with poetic art.

The poems in this collection consistently create a cohesive structure in respect of both form and content. The haiku-like brevity, dramatic twist, ideas interspersed with emotions and inclusion of suitable Hindi words blend well to fascinate intelligent readers. Added to it, the cover design supporting an Indian pundit ( poet's childhood picture ) prompts love at first sight.

- Dr. R. Bhagwan Singh  .

Bhagwan Singh , R . Rev. of Making A Poem , by Vihang Naik . Ed. Dr. Chhote Lal Khatri. Patna , India : Cyber Literature : A Journal of English Studies  ( India ) , ( jour issue ) ,  Dec 2004 .Vol.XIV.,  No . II.,  p.87 - 88.