Beyond BLOODSHED: A Voice of Humanity

‘Beyond Bloodshed’ anthology is an extraordinary collection of global poets’ voices that delves deep into the heinous practices of the holocaust in some neighbouring countries in the masquerade bull’s power where humans struggle for tenancy, people are fleeing off from native land seeking the safety of lives, women and children are being slaughtered and trapped in bonkers, and let to be the scapegoat of testing nuclear weapons within their country. This book is edited by two Asian poets Asharf Jewel and Bhisma Upreti from Bangladesh and Nepal respectively. There are eighty-three poems included with diverse expressions on the same themed War with anti sematic tone from thirty-six nationalist poets and poetesses. Some of the world’s eminent poets’ creations are standouts like Richard Doiron’s ‘These Battlefield’ a Canadian poet nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, internationally renowned scholar and poet Mohannad Nurul Huda’s ‘ The War Born’ from Bangladesh, a folklore scholar and celebrated poet and renowned writer from Nepal Prof. Dr. Abhi Subedi’s poem titled  ‘A War Story’, the recipient of Reuel award from India Mahua Sen’s ‘What if’, Sue Zhu, a New Zealand Chinese poet and Nosside Award winner poetry ‘After our Autumn Harvest’ excels in capturing the depth of human emotions related to cannibal movements to minorities in the state. Amid war, after interrogating the bloodshed news, peoples’ agony, hearing much pain, encompassing dearth, and feeling the suffocation of war the poets and the poetesses of thirty countries put indomitable spirits to a standstill in the forms of verses to sow seeds of peace, unity and harmony throughout the world in this anti-war anthology. In this anthology, fourteen finest Nepalese poets’ verses are included who were enthralled by their creations and some of them are Shyamal Adhikari’s ‘Nightmare’, Keshab Sigdel’s ‘ The Child and the Butterfly’, Bidhan Acharya’s ‘Waiting for the defeats’, Bhawan Pokhrel’s ‘To the Holocaust of Humanity’, Ranajana Niraula’s  ‘Quest for Earth without war’.

This anthology explores specified themes that resonate universally during the chaos of war and pleads for the pursuit of sovereignty, freedom and tranquility. Through a blend of vivid imagery and evocative language, the poet captures the raw emotions of individuals caught amid chaos and conflict, painting a vivid picture of the human condition in each poem. One of the extensively striking aspects of the ‘Beyond Bloodshed’ collection is its ability to provoke deep introspection and empathy in its readers. The verses act as a mirror, reminiscing the collective understanding of humanity, and inviting us to contend with the darker aspects of our world that is neo-Cold War is still hammering in the course of practising imperialism in some parts of the world.

This stanza of Abhi Subedi from ‘A War Story ‘ vividly states more about this book.

Wars as long as they are printed in poetry books,
As long as they are sung
In the fine hours of the morning
As long as they are told around
Fireplaces in freezing seasons,
As long as a child goes to sleep
Hearing them in mother’s voice,
Do not wreck and show ugly faces.

The collection showcases a diverse range of poetic styles, from free verse to sonnets, demonstrating the authors’ versatility and mastery over various forms of expression based on warship. Each poem is carefully crafted, with meticulous attention to rhythm, dialectic and imagery, which enhances the overall impact of the manifestations of truce. The language used is both convenient and lyrical, making it easy for readers to attach to the emotions conveyed. In some parts of the expressions of poems, readers might find themselves lingering over certain lines, grappling with the intended significance. However, this intellectual challenge is part of the beauty of this collection, as it encourages poetic hearts to confront a profound exploration of human perceptions of violence and battles.

This collection transcends beyond the boundaries in the form of poetry to ignite the light of peace and stability raising the voice of humanity and serving as a testament to the resilience against the war and warlords.

One of the poems from the anthology entitled ‘Songs for Peace’ reflects the essence of harmony and symphony of love and ceasefire for prosperity.

Whoever has torn the dream of living in a fraternity
Whatsoever pile of decease mounted
 A symphony of love and care surpass
With every note, let hatred cease
All of our voices must converge in the song of peace. ( Subash S. Parajuli)

All the poets petitioned their creations for the sake of the pursuit of happiness, freedom and global fraternity. The belief in the end of bloodshed and hope for the sojourn of peace poetic lines are marked in the shape of Beyond Bloodshed poetry that delves into the essence of our shared humanity.