(A tribute to Vincent Van Gogh)
The painting genius’s tortured soul
Found expression in myriad forms
On the celebrated canvases adorning
Art galleries, museums and private collections
Of wealthy art collectors all over the world
Grappling with his inner demons all his life
His immortal works gave expression
To the ongoing conflicts and torments
Ravaging his sensitive and passionate heart
His unwavering commitment to art
Forever triumphant over the unspoken terrors
Clouding his perceptive, tender and touchy mind
Capturing the brilliant sunshine on canvas,
The dazzling sunlight of Arles,
The eye-catching beauty of Provence,
Sunflowers, wheat fields, the study of human forms,
And the stars of the night with the melting moon—-
All came alive with his magical brush strokes
Even his dark brooding self-portraits with
Those expressive eyes like two incandescent
Blue fireballs, a reflection of his agonized vision
Distracted constantly by worries, anxieties, doubts and fears
And, alarmingly, showing signs of lunacy
You died so young, O Artist among artists!
Yet you live on through your deathless art
And forever fill us with awe and wonder
Confounding art critics, art lovers, connoisseurs
And laymen with your mind-boggling creations
That will continue to inspire generations
Of artists to take up the easel, brush and colors
And leave their marks on canvases
With their many-splendored creations
Subhojit Kar, aged 56, holds a B.Tech in Electrical Engineering from IIT Kanpur (1990). He worked at BEL in Bangalore and Kolkata from 1990 to 2004 and mentored high school students in Physics and Maths for engineering entrance exams, including IITJEE, until 2021. Currently, he is a content writer for an environmental NGO based in Pune. Subhojit has been actively engaged in creative writing for over 35 years, with his poetry featured in The Sunday Telegraph, The Literary Supplement of The Economic Times, Poetry Today, Poemhunter.com, and Poetry.com. He is the author of two novels: Song On The Nowhere Road (Amazon Kindle and Bluerose Publishers, 2020) and The Fault Lines (Bookstreet Publications, 2022). Subhojit enjoys reading, listening to music, and watching sports. He resides in Kolkata with his family.
Email: subhosanc@gmail.com
Address: Subhojit Kar
Golf Green, Phase IVA W2A(R) 5/1
Kolkata 700095
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