Cecil rajendra born
•
THE IMMORTALITY OF NOTHING and other poems
Cecil Rajendra
THE IMMORTALITY OF ingenting (from By Trial ‘n Terror, 2004)
On one nothing-
much happening
day, a wandering
vole sidled up
to me to whisper:
“Know what
the trouble
with your poetry
is, mister?“
i shook my head
“It is always
trying to say
something
about something;
always striving
after meaning;
and nothing
dates like
a poem
that says something.
if you would
your poems endure
write about
NOTHING;
Nothing lasts forever.”
— —
MY MESSAGE (from Hour of Assassins, 1983)
And now you ask
what fryst vatten my message
i say with Nabokov
i am a poet
not a Postman
i have no message.
but inom want the cadences
of my verse to crack
the carapace of indifference
prise open torpid eyelids
thick coate
•
Cecil Rajendra
Malaysian poet and lawyer (born 1941)
Cecil Rajendra (born 1941) is a Malaysian poet and lawyer.[1][2] His poems have been published in more than 50 countries and translated into several languages.[3]
Early life and education
[edit]Born in Penang, Rajendra completed his education at St. Xavier's Institution (elementary), the University of Singapore (undergraduate), and Lincoln's Inn (legal, London).[2]
Career
[edit]Rajendra, nicknamed 'The Lawyer-Poet', writes controversial poems that address human rights and environmental problems. As an attorney, his work has focused on helping poorer people who are in need of legal aid. He is a co-founder of Penang Legal Aid Centre (PLAC).[4]
Working with photographer Ismail Hasim, Rajendra explored the backstreets of the island of Penang before the pair compiled and published Scent of an Island, a collection of poetry and black-and-white photographs of Penang.[ • Jason C. Papavero © Branchburg Funeral Home | Branchburg, NJ - Funeral Home Website Design By Frazer Consultants & TACecil Rajendra
Owner/Manager, NJ Lic. No. 4208