Jete Pari Kintu Keno Jabo by Shakti Chattopadhyay [Hardcover]

The poetry collection Epitaph by Shakti Chattopadhyay delves deep into the theme of death. The final poem of this book contains poignant verses meant to be inscribed on a tombstone, touching readers with their melancholic beauty.

The titular poem, Epitaph, along with many others in this collection, reflects a profound awareness of mortality. In one poem, the poet recounts an eerie experience where the moon and the funeral pyre beckoned him. Yet, his musings on death are balanced by a deep familial bond and a longing for life—expressed in the poignant lines, “I can go anywhere, in any direction, but why should I? I will kiss my child’s face.”

Shakti acknowledges the rhythm and rituals inherent in destruction, even valuing brokenness over reconstruction at times. This collection, adorned with Sunil Shil’s cover art, showcases some of Shakti Chattopadhyay’s most profound explorations of life’s fragility and resilience.