I have read the works of many distinguished contemporary writers, yet I have rarely encountered one whose vast and prolific body of work maintains such exceptional quality and depth, all while retaining universal relevance and significance. His writing captivated me unlike any other. As a former senior IAS officer, I often marvel at how this remarkable writer successfully managed to harmonize his creative brilliance with the rigid demands and responsibilities of bureaucratic life.

Before offering my reflections on Collected Poems: Volume 3, I would like to briefly acquaint readers with the sheer scope of his literary output. To truly understand a writer, it is essential to appreciate the full length and breadth of his creative journey. The following is an overview of his published works:

P. C. K. Prem: A Literary Overview

English Works

Poetry:
Major collections include Among the Shadows (1989), Enigmas of an Identity (1990), Rainbows at Sixty (2008), Yayati Returns (2017), and Collected Poems (4 vols., 2020).

Novels:
Notable titles: Rainbows at Dawn (1991), A Handsome Man (2001), Not Their Lives (2003).

Short Stories:
Key collections include Shadows at Dawn (1990) and Memorials and Other Stories (2020).

Spiritual & Classical Works:
Retellings such as Mahabharata (Selected Tales) (2014), Srimad Bhagavata Mahapurana (3 parts), and Eternal Truths (2024).

Criticism:
Includes Contemporary Indian English Poetry from Himachal (1992) and History of Contemporary Indian English Poetry (2 vols., 2019).

Hindi Works

Novels:
Prolific output with titles like Akash Mera Nahin (1988), Vishmoh (1998), Kaalkhand (5 vols., 2000).

Short Stories:
Includes Tinka Bhar Dard (1988) and BhuleBisereiSandharva (2019).

Poetry:
Indradhanush Shabd Ho Gaye (1992).

Edited Volumes & Criticism

Editor of works like Echoing Time and Civilizations (2015). Critics such as D. C. Chambial and Aju Mukhopadhyay explore themes of identity, realism, and dystopia in his work. His own essays analyze poets like Shiv K. Kumar and R.K. Singh, focusing on spirituality and sociocultural anxiety.

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In the very outset in "A Viewpoint on Poets and Poetry in Difficult Times", the author explores the inner turmoil and existential inquiry of poets and creative artists amid personal, social, and global challenges. Poetry becomes a means to process life’s complexities, mortality, and inherited wisdom. The poet reflects on how art emerges from emotional conflict, cultural memory, and philosophical questions, often portraying the flawed, "half-man" of modern existence. Despite uncertainty and imperfection, the creative process becomes a timeless, introspective journey that seeks truth, meaning, and connection in a fractured world.

After reading the anthology, I was struck by how masterfully P. C. K. Prem—undeniably a genius of our time—captures the decay of modern civilization with the depth and subtlety reminiscent of some eminent writers, like, T. S. Eliot, Michel Houellebecq (France), J.M. Coetzee (South Africa/Australia), Don DeLillo (USA), Margaret Atwood (Canada) Arundhati Roy, Pankaj Mishra and Jeet Thayil.

Every reader of this Collection is presented with existential issues, a vivid dystopian vision of contemporary society, riddled with chaos, conflict, and broken human relationships. Prem explores theemotional, mental, and psychological walls that divide individuals, alongside a profound yearning for authentic connection. He portrays the erosion of spiritual, moral, emotional, and indigenous values, the transient solace of nature, and the enduring mysteries of existence. Through rich symbolism, metaphor, mythological references, satire, and irony, he lays bare the mindless exploitation by politicians–at all conceivable levels, misuse of faith for material gain and the hollowness of empty rituals. With unwavering candor and deep emotional resonance, his poetry reflects the fearless insight of a truly exceptional artist.

Although all the poems in this collection are worth analyzing, I have chosen to focus on those that struck me the most.

Of Peace, p. 499, under the title, Of Summit and Culture, explores the fragile, often illusory nature of peace in a conflicted world. It critiques empty gestures and emotional decay, portraying peace as a mask for deeper unrest. Stillness symbolizes both calm and suppressed fear. The poem finally calls for sincere, meaningful collaboration to restore genuine and lasting peace amid political darkness: It is the right time/ to strike a bargain/ and a concord to live,/ in the world’s dark chamber/ of despotic democrats. Summit, p. 501, captures an era marked by global discord and a fragile sense of peace. It depicts a world where genuine collaboration is as scarce as unity, grain and water, and hopes of flags/not unfurled. In the midst of violence and insincere diplomacy, there remains a deep longing—a search—for meaningful human connection, symbolized by the idea of a summit of hearts. It challenges the hollow words of influential figures and global bodies, implying that despite grand visions and eloquence, true unity and compassion are still out of reach. Nevertheless, the poem conveys a quiet, persistent hope for a more humane and united future.

An Option, p. 508, critiques a world where materialism overrides genuine connection, and ideals like equality and peace are hollow illusions. In a society ruled by injustice and manipulation, hope fades, and meaning unravels. The poem closes with the theory that an escape contains,/an uncertain option in this disillusioned world. A Breach, p. 502, delves into the emotional and psychological distances that can grow within human relationships, particularly when viewed through the lens of later life. The poet tries to grasp the nature of these divides—both internal and existential—that have slowly emerged. These breaches are portrayed as obscure, cavernous spaces or illusions, difficult to define or navigate. Despite efforts to overcome them through reflection or emotional risk, the attempt often feels fruitless, reflecting a modern condition of disconnection. Crisis, p. 531, is a lamentation for the lost depth and sanctity of relationships, culture, and tradition. P C K Prem uses sharp critique and emotional resonance to reflect on how globalization, commodification, and the erosion of indigenous values have left humanity spiritually hollow. It is both a cultural critique and a warning about the direction in which modern society is headed—a world of fragmented bonds, borrowed identities, and empty dialogues.The poem implies that if not in this life, only late in life do people begin to reconcile with these emotional rifts, making necessary adjustments that may bring a sense of resolution.

Culture, p. 503, is a fragmented, introspective meditation on the decline of spiritual, moral, and emotional values in modern life. It explores themes of disillusionment, loneliness, and societal decay, moving from distorted ancient wisdom to emotional numbness and personal loss. The poem presents a bleak vision of a culture marked by silence, detachment, and normalized suffering: …now a routine/a new culture is born in lull,/absolute. Lost Name, p. 510, explores the emotional turmoil of a person who has lost their sense of identity and purpose. It begins with a sense of urgency and dissatisfaction with routine, portraying a life lived through half-hearted efforts. Nature offers fleeting glimpses of beauty and harmony, contrasting with the speaker’s inner emptiness. Ultimately, the poem reflects on alienation and the struggle to find meaning and ways to survive in this life of anarchic times. Inquest, p. 636, reflects on modern India’s moral and cultural decline, blending myth, history, and present-day disillusionment. It critiques false progress and fading values, while suggesting that traces of truth and tradition still persist amid the chaos even in an age of futility, though it had flavour in unreal walking on earth.

Camping Age, p. 512, critiques the repetitive cycles of history, where old warriors cling to outdated ideologies and engage in meaningless conflict. These figures, blind to the consequences, uphold hollow ideals that no longer reflect lived realities, thereby failing future generations. Through symbolic imagery and religious references, the poet exposes the illusion of permanence, the futility of fixed beliefs, and the deceptive nature of life. True Memoirs, p. 577, is a somber reflection on lost innocence, where an aging speaker contrasts a simple childhood with a world later shaped by war, corruption, and moral decline wherein man kills man and politician is foul/ he does not serve, kills men on the streets/ and calls it a duty. Questioning history and truth, the poem critiques the collapse of values, commercialization of spirituality, and emptiness beneath technological progress. A Salute, p. 587, explores spiritual disillusionment through a child’s experience in a missionary school. Blending Christian and Hindu imagery, it reveals confusion, hypocrisy, and trauma. As the speaker grows, faith fades, leaving a deep sense of emptiness. Now, for him, Love is not God is the truth of this age/ and it continues to bewilder,/ the fact of fictional love,/ religious conglomerations become big hoaxes,/ as people live and question not. The poem critiques religious institutions and reflects on the struggle to find truth in a fractured spiritual world.

An Effort, p. 519, reflects on the struggle to find meaning and authenticity in life. It portrays effort as both a determined pursuit and a mythical search for something lost amid illusions and dreams. The speaker suggests that true fulfillment cannot be rushed but must come through patience and hope for transformation. The poem highlights the tension between living in illusion and the desire to shape a coherent, meaningful life from chaos. Ultimately, it expresses a longing for renewal in a new millennium of solitude and uncertainty. Shapes, p. 521, explores the poetic and philosophical construction of life — its beauty, mystery, and profound suffering. Through a tapestry of mythic, modern, and existential imagery, it portrays human existence as a journey filled with illusions, tragedy, and yearning for meaning, unfolding many enigmas,/without substance…where ultimately death offers the only peace, and innocence, the only truth. In short, the poem uses vivid, often grim imagery to explore the fundamental, unanswered riddles of human existence—touching on themes of survival, suffering, mystery, and the limits of human understanding. A Riddle, p. 523 explores humanity’s struggle to make sense of life’s mysteries amidst suffering, chaos, and failed systems. Symbolic imagery underscores the persistence of pain and the enduring, unanswerable question that defines the human condition. At its core, the poem centers on an unanswered, perhaps unanswerable question—one that haunts humanity, disrupts peace, and defines our existence which is a A big blind hides many a secret/ to let men survive in distress,/ in a world never entirely traversed. This riddle, always present and deeply unsettling, embodies the essence of the human journey.

Secret, p. 526, blends the ordinary with the surreal to explore hidden truths, emotional intimacy, and the silent tension beneath beauty and routine. It begins with nurturing, peaceful imagery, soon disrupted by subtle hints of violence and betrayal. Nature’s calm is contrasted with quiet threats, suggesting a secret being carefully guarded. Women are portrayed as keepers of this secret—enigmatic and powerful—whose closed minds/listen to music of a secret strange that one fails to grasp the depth of the mystery. Ultimately, the poem reflects on the unseen layers of reality and the quiet presence of concealed truths. Of This Time, p. 536, reflects on how language, spirituality, and identity are diminished in the chaos of modern life. In the present moment, sacred rituals become meaningless performances, temples are noisy with insincere devotion, and religion turns theatrical. The poem ultimately portrays a world where the sacred and the absurd coexist, exposing the commodification of culture and faith, making the poet only laugh with disgust at all this: I laugh with the song/ and walk out in disgust,/ to weave another story/ of sins in the shrines of gods.

Great Servants, p. 545, critiques the corrupt nexus between bureaucrats and politicians, exposing a world fueled by greed, power-lust, and hollow intentions. Behind polished appearances lie self-interest, lethargy, and moral decay, masked by rituals and technology. Religious leaders and institutions, once ethical guides, now wield power and wealth on cozy mattresses. Public service is reduced to a scoundrel vocation, far removed from the ideals of figures like Buddha or Gandhi. Alibaba, p. 569, presents a cynical view of faith and tradition, where rituals mask emptiness and ancient scriptures feel outdated. Love is reduced to survival, and religious leaders exploit faith for power. The poem rejects blind devotion and critiques a society that prizes wealth over humanity, leaving suffering ignored. This Age, p. 554, is a sharp critique of modern society, highlighting its contradictions, moral decay, and spiritual emptiness. Using irony and metaphor, the poet portrays a world where intellect is distorted, openness is feigned, and religion is reduced to performance. People search for meaning amid noise, manipulation, and false prophets, while nature and truth are sidelined. The age is marked by overcrowding, pollution of thought, and the hollow dominance of power and media. Ultimately, it exposes the tragedy of a godless yet religiously performative world, where progress masks deep ethical and emotional decline, but pathetically, …the tragedy lingers on.

Tales of Half Men and Other Poems

Life in Bits, p. 638, reflects on the fragmented, uncertain nature of human existence, using Hindu mythology and abstract imagery to explore identity, doubt, and renewal. It portrays alienation through a missing father figure and suggests that skepticism becomes a new kind of faith. The poem also critiques the misuse of spirituality by corrupt leaders, exposing the emptiness behind modern authority.

Yet amid this critique, the poem embraces collapse as necessary for clarity and rebirth. It draws on the myth of Shiva’s Third Eye to show how destruction, though chaotic and intense, can purify and reset the world. Even divine order is disrupted as Shiva chases illusion and burns desire itself, reflecting the painful but essential need to let go. This idea is expressed through powerful but painful lines through a reference to mythology: Fire from the Third eye of Shiva/ burns Kama, blazes and blinds everything,/ no refuge in situation abysmal is possible/ As Brahma listens in anguish. Thus, through mythological metaphor, the poem comments on modern disillusionment, corrupted ideals, and the turbulent journey toward transformation and meaning. Split Roads, p. 634, portrays a fragmented, decaying world haunted by trauma, spiritual decay, and lost sanctity. Through stark imagery, it reflects on survival in a dehumanized society, highlighting a bleak yet enduring human spirit that sits on sand and dust in a tornado/ struggle to dig desert for water,/ for he knows that a man is made,/ in a period of ration cards and tenders.

Sliced Living, p. 640, is a layered and symbolic poem that reflects the fractured and surreal experience of modern life, particularly within the socio-political landscape of India. It begins by mourning the loss of genuine joy, replaced by hollow celebrations and spiritual emptiness—represented metaphorically by the absence of the Gita and the presence of a lone chestnut: where no Gita comes up but only a chestnut lives. Grief, p. 652, explores sorrow, isolation, and creative struggle. A grieving writer, paralyzed by loss, vainly clings to true values amid emotional and spiritual emptiness. Nature offers silent solace, but he ultimately feels abandoned by both divinity and humanity, trapped in a world devoid of meaning and pathetically and ironically, in this shadowed living, the poet finds himself in a crowd of relations walking /in figures/ non-existent and still living.

The poem is a dystopian critique of modern society, where myth and politics mask a fragmented, purposeless existence. Life persists through survival, not meaning, while emotional depth is lost to repetition and commodification: An anachronistic charisma,/where people’s congress is a market,/ rulers with price-tags yowl in a bazaar/and rate runs to crores more than the lives,/so governed leader’s sale, considered a virtue/people elect Brutus in fragmented pieces,/ of men and land. Again, drawing on mythological references like Yudhishtra's journey, the poem reveals a world where values decay, leadership is hollow, and people unknowingly empower their own betrayers.

The Known, p. 659, explores the complexity of human relationships and the haunting power of memory. It reveals how familiar people can feel distant during intense moments, and how the poor often romanticize simplicity without understanding emotional nuance: Poor never understands,/and fantasizes minimalism/ and techniques of ambivalence. Past intimacies endure through subtle signs and resurface as vivid, emotional memories—like old paintings that revive forgotten love. These recollections flood the mind, momentarily overshadowing the present, reflecting on how the past quietly shapes and lingers within the present.

Decision, p. 684, depicts a modern man haunted by emotional emptiness and isolation. Cut off from meaningful connections, he becomes hardened, violent, and aimless—chasing risky ideals without finding purpose. As he drifts through a metaphorical jungle of suffering, pursued by death, his pursuit of power reveals only buried desires and futility. His fragmented path leads from eternal origin to a lifeless, stony god, symbolizing a shattered, restless existence and a journey from a source eternal, to god of stones as life in pieces spread. Of Rituals, p. 670, is a darkly satirical poem reflecting on death, cultural decay, and personal hypocrisy. It is an age of ambush dearth/consensual rituals in oral heritage/ land and property in a virtual subversion,/ tell tales of generations new. Centered on a son's emotionally detached cremation of his father, it exposes the hollowness of tradition and grief. As the son indulges in vice, a frail woman—likely the mother—struggles with a will, symbolizing eroded values. The poem critiques bourgeois materialism, performative mourning, and the loss of genuine connection. Modern moral decay—seen in clinical births, academic fraud, and commodified care—deepens the irony. The father’s pyre becomes a stark metaphor for the collapse of authenticity in both culture and self.

Burning Ego, p. 676, delves into an inner struggle with desire and identity. The speaker is torn between physical attraction and self-awareness, as passion ignites emotional turmoil and revelation. Unable to escape these truths and facts of life, the writer undergoes a painful dissolution or …burning of ego,/of disbanding, leading to transformation and renewal—a time of new birth.

P. C. K. Prem emerges as a distinguished voice in contemporary international poetry, demonstrating a masterful command of poetic form and vision. His work intricately weaves together a rich tapestry of elements—cultural insight, moral depth, spiritual inquiry, psychological and philosophical nuance, satirical sharpness, linguistic inventiveness, emotional and intellectual depth. Themes such as displacement, multifaceted love, inner conflict, introspective human tendencies, religious hypocrisy, and profound existential questions recur throughout his poetry, capturing a vast spectrum of human experience and imagination.

Prem's oeuvre not only enriches the literary heritage of his homeland but also resonates globally, engaging readers with these universal concerns. For those seeking poetry that is intellectually substantial, politically conscious, mentally and emotionally resonant, his work offers a deeply engaging and meaningful journey. In an ever-evolving global literary landscape, Prem’s voice affirms the enduring relevance and transformative power of poetic expression.