Rahul Vaidya
‘Burnt Rotis, with Love’ is a collection of poetry by Prerna
Bakshi, a sociolinguist, writer, translator and activist. It is a poetry
written from a feminist and socialist perspective. In this book, she explores
and interrogates the narratives of Partition of India/Punjab post British rule,
women’s identity, gender and class struggle. The poems in this collection cover
themes of violence, oppression, exploitation, abuse, struggle, survival and
resistance.
Bakshi, a sociolinguist, writer, translator and activist. It is a poetry
written from a feminist and socialist perspective. In this book, she explores
and interrogates the narratives of Partition of India/Punjab post British rule,
women’s identity, gender and class struggle. The poems in this collection cover
themes of violence, oppression, exploitation, abuse, struggle, survival and
resistance.
As a review of this poetry collection, I would like to
explore certain issues/themes which I believe are important to contextualize
Bakshi’s poetry as well as the broader oeuvre of radical art.
explore certain issues/themes which I believe are important to contextualize
Bakshi’s poetry as well as the broader oeuvre of radical art.
Recognition
and assertion of art as ‘political’
and assertion of art as ‘political’
The art and politics have shared a relationship fraught with tensions, at least since the growth of capitalism. Romanticism and anarchism of
19th century which shaped the modern poetry and art were the direct
consequence and reaction to alienation under capitalism. The novelty lay in the
clear rejection of romantic current to recognize it as such and thus it became
an integral part of flourishing bourgeoisie culture which happily rejoiced over
the separation of dirty ‘political’ ‘social’ chaos from ‘sacred’ ‘personal’
spaces.
19th century which shaped the modern poetry and art were the direct
consequence and reaction to alienation under capitalism. The novelty lay in the
clear rejection of romantic current to recognize it as such and thus it became
an integral part of flourishing bourgeoisie culture which happily rejoiced over
the separation of dirty ‘political’ ‘social’ chaos from ‘sacred’ ‘personal’
spaces.
Social Realism, and further, the socialist realism dented this utopia and boldly proclaimed their symbiotic link. However, it led to a
formalist sneer from bourgeoisie cultural quarters- can sheer political
‘content’ overcome flaws of ‘form’? And it led to immense debates of Frankfurt
School- Brecht, Luckacs, Bloch, Adorno, Benjamin et al[1].
Without going much into those debates, I would just highlight that there is a
need to recognize the place of counter-culture in our politics as well as need
for our art forms to duly recognize politics as an overarching presence in
terms of the content as well as the form of the art.
formalist sneer from bourgeoisie cultural quarters- can sheer political
‘content’ overcome flaws of ‘form’? And it led to immense debates of Frankfurt
School- Brecht, Luckacs, Bloch, Adorno, Benjamin et al[1].
Without going much into those debates, I would just highlight that there is a
need to recognize the place of counter-culture in our politics as well as need
for our art forms to duly recognize politics as an overarching presence in
terms of the content as well as the form of the art.
Bakshi’s poetry is quite conscious and overt recognition and assertion of poetry being political. The bourgeoisie art continues to deceive
and self-deceive about the irrelevance of ‘political’ for literature today.
With its narcissist absurd, existentialist, surrealist turns, it continues to
cherish & chase a mirage for itself of a ‘self’ detached from political.
However, it is the fervor of socialist revolutions of 20th century
as well as anti-colonial struggles, struggles of liberation for blacks, women,
queer movement, environment struggles etc. which brought about a metamorphosis
with the protest art and arts of marginalized people. Bakshi’s work upholds
this legacy. As in this poem, ‘because
‘Nature Poetry’ is Never about Nature Alone’ she takes on the imperialism
and question of environment together:
and self-deceive about the irrelevance of ‘political’ for literature today.
With its narcissist absurd, existentialist, surrealist turns, it continues to
cherish & chase a mirage for itself of a ‘self’ detached from political.
However, it is the fervor of socialist revolutions of 20th century
as well as anti-colonial struggles, struggles of liberation for blacks, women,
queer movement, environment struggles etc. which brought about a metamorphosis
with the protest art and arts of marginalized people. Bakshi’s work upholds
this legacy. As in this poem, ‘because
‘Nature Poetry’ is Never about Nature Alone’ she takes on the imperialism
and question of environment together:
‘Why must your skies be bright blue,
while ours covered in this thick black smog?’
Her poem ‘Communist Poetry’ cleverly plays on the famous quote about criteria for being called either a saint or a communist and
quips,
quips,
‘When I write verse
About trees that bear fruits,
Flowers that bloom,
They call me a poet.
When I ask for whom some
Trees would never bear fruits,
Why some flowers would never bloom,
They call me a communist’.
Form & Content debate
It assumes greater importance since the poetry, a more classical form of literature (as compared with novels, a product of industrial
capitalism) has greater risk of deviating into propagandist path while
proclaiming its politics. Propaganda or agit-prop art has been more successful
with theatre vis-à-vis poetry. At times, political poetry risks its lyricality
and subtle symbolism, in its political assertions especially when it remains at
the periphery of struggles while describing them. It is not to endorse the
‘lived experience’ argument but to highlight that the poetry of Namdeo Dhasal
stands unique in its metaphors because the linguistic universe which cognizes
and recognizes the exploitation and oppression remains foreign to hegemonic
upper-caste, class cultural sensibilities.
capitalism) has greater risk of deviating into propagandist path while
proclaiming its politics. Propaganda or agit-prop art has been more successful
with theatre vis-à-vis poetry. At times, political poetry risks its lyricality
and subtle symbolism, in its political assertions especially when it remains at
the periphery of struggles while describing them. It is not to endorse the
‘lived experience’ argument but to highlight that the poetry of Namdeo Dhasal
stands unique in its metaphors because the linguistic universe which cognizes
and recognizes the exploitation and oppression remains foreign to hegemonic
upper-caste, class cultural sensibilities.
Bakshi has by and large ensured that her poetry and politics remain in a mutual dialogue. Especially her poems about patriarchy, domestic
violence and partition strike hard both with their radical feminist politics as
well as lyrical balance achieved through deft use of words as well suggestive
silences and provoking metaphors.
violence and partition strike hard both with their radical feminist politics as
well as lyrical balance achieved through deft use of words as well suggestive
silences and provoking metaphors.
Her poem ‘Childhood Games’ about sexual abuse is a
case in point. She ends it with following lines:
case in point. She ends it with following lines:
‘My interest in toys ended
That day and with it ended
My childhood, though not
My interest in guns. That grew:’
Woman as the ‘hysterical’ subject
Feminist politics has had a complex history vis-à-vis psychoanalysis. Especially controversial has been the Lacanian treatment of rape as ‘violation of the imaginary
integrity of the ego’. What is of
interest is structuring of sexuality, desire, gender etc. which remain central
to both Feminist as well as psychoanalytic traditions. Further, both share the
concern for the enquiry into how a subject is situated vis-à-vis the ‘Other’ of
patriarchy, symbolic order etc.
integrity of the ego’. What is of
interest is structuring of sexuality, desire, gender etc. which remain central
to both Feminist as well as psychoanalytic traditions. Further, both share the
concern for the enquiry into how a subject is situated vis-à-vis the ‘Other’ of
patriarchy, symbolic order etc.
It is this common link which I wish to stress upon and propose that the notion of ‘hysterical subject’ remains important for our
creative as well as analytical efforts. For it is the hysteria which is
perennially obsessed with “how I am being viewed by the ‘Big Other’” and it is
this obsession which leads to provoking and eventually disturbing the ontological
order of Being i.e. the hegemonic order of oppression such as patriarchy.
Bakshi’s poems, such as ‘Be an Unruly Woman’ or ‘My Women Have Spoken’
offer a characteristic example of a hysterical subject and its irreverence
towards the oppressive patriarchy. Dalit poetry, Black literature displayed the
same streak and enraged the literary establishments and continue to do so.
creative as well as analytical efforts. For it is the hysteria which is
perennially obsessed with “how I am being viewed by the ‘Big Other’” and it is
this obsession which leads to provoking and eventually disturbing the ontological
order of Being i.e. the hegemonic order of oppression such as patriarchy.
Bakshi’s poems, such as ‘Be an Unruly Woman’ or ‘My Women Have Spoken’
offer a characteristic example of a hysterical subject and its irreverence
towards the oppressive patriarchy. Dalit poetry, Black literature displayed the
same streak and enraged the literary establishments and continue to do so.
What is noteworthy is Bakshi’s sense of underlying unity of oppressed and this political sense helps her firmly take on the ‘Facebook’ COO Sheryl
Sandberg’s corporate feminism of ‘Lean In’ and its approach to feminism and
work in her poem ‘When the Poor Woman ‘Leans In’’. So her protest
against patriarchy doesn’t remain short-sighted or identity-bound but comes
from ‘a critical, Global South Marxist feminist perspective’. In short, it is
necessary for the ‘hysterical subject’ not to lose the sight of the ultimate
oppressors- for if it does so, it no longer remains a subject as its hysteria
is turned into perversion i.e. seeking pleasure in pain as is the case of
corporate Feminism.
Sandberg’s corporate feminism of ‘Lean In’ and its approach to feminism and
work in her poem ‘When the Poor Woman ‘Leans In’’. So her protest
against patriarchy doesn’t remain short-sighted or identity-bound but comes
from ‘a critical, Global South Marxist feminist perspective’. In short, it is
necessary for the ‘hysterical subject’ not to lose the sight of the ultimate
oppressors- for if it does so, it no longer remains a subject as its hysteria
is turned into perversion i.e. seeking pleasure in pain as is the case of
corporate Feminism.
In conclusion; this poetry stands in
solidarity with all struggles of emancipation, is not afraid to being called
partisan and wears its irreverence with a just pride. And yet, there’s a thread
of compassionate humanism in all her poems which binds together the noisy
struggles and pained silences of the oppressed. ’Burnt Rotis, With Love’ is an
important work of radical poetry today.
solidarity with all struggles of emancipation, is not afraid to being called
partisan and wears its irreverence with a just pride. And yet, there’s a thread
of compassionate humanism in all her poems which binds together the noisy
struggles and pained silences of the oppressed. ’Burnt Rotis, With Love’ is an
important work of radical poetry today.
(The Book has been Published by Les Éditions du Zaporogue (Denmark)
[Just
recently, ‘Burnt Rotis, With Love’ was long-listed for the 2015 Erbacce-Press
Poetry Award in the UK.
More information about the book can be found here –
http://prernabakshi.strikingly.com/]
recently, ‘Burnt Rotis, With Love’ was long-listed for the 2015 Erbacce-Press
Poetry Award in the UK.
More information about the book can be found here –
http://prernabakshi.strikingly.com/]
[1] ‘Aesthetics & Politics’ covers this debate between Brecht,
Luckacs, Bloch, Adorno and Benjamin. This book is edited by Fredric Jameson,
and he has written an important afterword
Luckacs, Bloch, Adorno and Benjamin. This book is edited by Fredric Jameson,
and he has written an important afterword
The author is an independent researcher based in Delhi.
