Where are the Lilacs (A Collection of Peace Poems)

Between the pages of the book, the reader will hear the notes of a petite flautist's peace song, the thrush pouring her melodies on the gore-drenched ground, the sweet cadences of a boat-girl in Srinagar yearning for the halcyon times of yore, in rhythm to the undulating waves of the river Lidder, all notes merging together to become the white-cheeked bulbul's plea for peace, and an end to the 'eternal notes of sadness'. It is a heartfelt prayer that one never has to exclaim like Pablo Neruda," come and see the blood on the streets", or to explain what happened to the lilacs in his garden. There are two pictures that come to mind when we talk of peace. One that of a land that looks like an Indian village, our countryside, where peace spreads across the landscape and is all- pervasive. The other is that of the dove who surveys the earth destroyed by the flood and finds a single twig with a few green leaves cause for hope, that peace cannot ever be destroyed or defeated. It is sad that we live in times where we are like doves and find no sign of hope, not even a green leaf poking out of the waters of the deluge of human destruction, let alone a twig with olive leaves. It is in this context, when we hear the most wretched sound, that of doves crying, that of people tearing each other apart, that it shows great courage on the part of SantoshBakaya to bring out a book on peace, that too; a book of poems, where peace can be searched for and although in many poems it is not found at all, we can hear in it the voice of the poetess who is earnestly its ambassador and hence manages to salvage for us something of great value and beauty-twigs and green leaves aplenty in the midst of tears and unutterable grief. More on her poems specifically is said in the introduction by Reena Prasad, in an introduction that rivals the book itself. Santosh is a truly important dove of peace as a poet and her melodious cooing will be heard not only across the lands but down the immemorial corridors of time, and be unforgettable, through this collection of poetry. The lilacs are not gone, thankfully, but still found, here. - Dr Ampat Koshy, Academician-Poet, Pushcart poetry Prize nominee, 2012