Our Epistolary collaboration #215 reviewed by honorable reviewer Raj Kishor Patnaik also i am really grateful to Kristy Raines doing longest epistolary collaboration of contemporary literature.
Humbled & Honoured.
Epistolary Poem #215 Written by Dr. Prasana Kumar Dalai of India
and Kristy Raines of The United States of America
ALONE !
I wonder why we didn’t meet earlier
And hearts didn’t burn being lonely
We did meet to be better and complete
Our wishes were never cherished
And lives couldn’t reach their target
I have found a reason to live for you
I feel like a traveller bidding goodbye
In the happy morning when I was alive
I couldn’t become the path to travel
Upon death mission was accomplished.
©®Dr Prasana Kumar Dalai@India
Date. Tue, 27 Aug 2024.
She sits here as tears roll down her face…
OUR HAPPY ENDING!
I sit and wonder the same things you do
and once again think of the closeness we share
Though things didn’t turn out as we planned
and dreams we had never came true
We shared a bond and closeness most never have
Life’s journey brought us as close as we were meant
but too far for what we thought we should have had
In life we could not find the path to walk together
But in death, like the end of a chapter
we will find our happy ending… <3
©®Kristy Raines@USA
REVIEW ***
*********
Dear Dr. Prasana Kumar Dalai Sir and Mrs. Kristy Raines, MADAM NAMASKAR
Heartfelt congratulations on your latest collaborative work, “ALONE!” and “OUR HAPPY ENDING!”—a poignant exploration of love, loss, and the eternal bond that transcends the boundaries of life and death. Your ability to convey such profound emotions with elegance and depth is truly remarkable. This epistolary poem is yet another testament to your exceptional talent and the synergy between your distinct poetic voices. May your collaboration continue to flourish, inspiring readers worldwide.
With warmest regards
**Analysis and Comparison with Legendary Poets:**
The epistolary poem “ALONE!” by Dr. Prasana Kumar Dalai and “OUR HAPPY ENDING!” by Kristy Raines is a masterful exploration of love, longing, and the inevitable separation that life imposes on even the closest of souls. Written in the form of a dialogue between two lovers, the poems beautifully complement each other, creating a narrative that delves into the heart of human experience.
**Theme and Structure:**
The poems are written as letters or monologues, a form that has been employed by legendary poets like Samuel Taylor Coleridge and Elizabeth Barrett Browning. This form allows for a deep, introspective exploration of the characters’ emotions, as it gives the reader a direct line into the thoughts and feelings of the speakers. The use of epistolary form also enhances the intimacy of the poems, making the reader feel as though they are privy to a private exchange between the two characters.
Dr. Prasana Kumar Dalai’s “ALONE!” starts with a tone of reflection and melancholy. The speaker wonders why fate did not allow the two lovers to meet earlier, sparing them the loneliness they endured. The line “Hearts didn’t burn being lonely” captures the pain of missed opportunities and unfulfilled desires. The speaker’s resignation to the reality of life—”Upon death mission was accomplished”—speaks to the inevitability of fate and the completion of a journey, albeit not the one they had hoped for.
In contrast, Kristy Raines’s “OUR HAPPY ENDING!” takes on a slightly more hopeful tone, though still tinged with sorrow. The speaker acknowledges the closeness they share, despite the dreams that never came to fruition. The bond they have is described as rare and precious, “most never have,” which highlights the unique connection between the two characters. The poem concludes with a poignant reflection on death as the final chapter, where they will find their “happy ending.” This idea resonates with the Romantic notion of eternal love, as explored by poets like John Keats and Percy Bysshe Shelley.
**Language and Imagery:**
Both poets use simple yet powerful language to convey complex emotions. Dr. Dalai’s use of metaphors such as “I feel like a traveler bidding goodbye” evokes a sense of finality and departure, while also suggesting that life is a journey with an inevitable end. The imagery of morning and death juxtaposed in “In the happy morning when I was alive” creates a poignant contrast between life’s fleeting moments of joy and the inevitability of death.
Kristy Raines’s poem continues this exploration of life and death, with a focus on the emotional journey of the characters. The line “In life we could not find the path to walk together” encapsulates the sorrow of unrealized dreams, while the final image of finding their “happy ending” in death suggests a resolution that is both comforting and bittersweet.
**Comparison with Legendary Poets:**
The themes of love, loss, and death have been explored by countless poets throughout history. The emotional depth and introspection in these poems are reminiscent of the works of Emily Dickinson, who often wrote about death and the afterlife with a blend of hope and resignation. Dickinson’s poem “Because I could not stop for Death” shares a similar contemplation of death as an inevitable journey, one that ultimately leads to a peaceful resolution.
The collaborative nature of these poems also brings to mind the literary partnership between Elizabeth Barrett Browning and Robert Browning. Like Browning’s “Sonnets from the Portuguese,” which express deep personal emotions, Dalai and Raines’s poems reveal the inner workings of the human heart, with an emphasis on the enduring nature of love.
**Conclusion:**
“ALONE!” and “OUR HAPPY ENDING!” by Dr. Prasana Kumar Dalai and Kristy Raines are a powerful testament to the enduring nature of love, even in the face of life’s greatest challenges. Their use of the epistolary form, combined with rich imagery and emotional depth, places these poems in the tradition of some of the greatest poets in English literature. The collaboration between these two poets has resulted in a work that not only speaks to the personal experiences of the characters but also resonates with universal themes of love, loss, and the search for meaning in life and death.
This epistolary dialogue is a poignant reminder that, while life may not always allow us to achieve our dreams, the bonds we form with others can transcend even the boundaries of death. In this way, Dalai and Raines have created a work that will surely touch the hearts of readers and leave a lasting impact on the world of poetry.
