Amlanjyoti Goswami

Issue: Vol. IV, No. 2, August-October, 2025

Because it is there, as George Mallory had said of Everest.
Because it tells tales dressed as poems, or poems dressed as tales.

Because I gave my heart to it, and god knows where it is hiding now.
Because it is 250 pages of heart mind and soul, and no one knows what I was thinking.

Because you ask me.
Because it is not easy to dream and make your dreams come true.

Because the cover is beautiful
The pages exquisite. Try them

The way you taste delicate maasor tenga on a summer afternoon
When the pages weave with a monsoon breeze.

Have your thoughts already wandered outside the window?
But these poems are patient.

They know what it takes to move feeling
One word at a time.

Take it with a cup of tea, keep some biscuits free.
There is love and grief here, anger and laughter

There is wonder, and there is fear
There is compassion, courage and peace.

That sums it up.
But let’s begin, where we are. One rasa at a time.

Why did I write this book?
I didn’t. I simply wrote poems.

The book came together, like reconciled kin
Now eager to live together with each other.

My job was to make them meet
As if preparing for a wedding.

Then the poems became guests, dancing laughing
Teasing each other.

Then the poems wanted a feast.
I merely told them where to go.

Amlanjyoti Goswami has written three books of poetry, A Different Story, River Wedding and Vital Signs, published by Poetrywala. River Wedding was shortlisted for the Sahitya Akademi award. Published in journals and anthologies across the world, including Poetry, The Poetry Review, Penguin Vintage, Rattle and Sahitya Akademi, he is also a Best of the Net and Pushcart nominee. He grew up in Guwahati and lives in Delhi.