Sri Aurobindo

Letters on Poetry and Art

SABCL - Volume 27

Part 2. On His Own and Others’ Poetry
Section 3. Practical Guidance for Aspiring Writers
Guidance in Writing Poetry

Contact with Other Writers [1]

I notice some queer things happening in the realm of poetry between Nishikanta and myself. I wrote a line:

চলছে ভেসে চাঁদের তরী ওই সুনীলের সাগরে

calache bhese cāṁdera tarī oi sunīlera {{0}}sāgare[[“The moon-boat is sailing on the ocean of the blue sky.” — Ed.]]

and did not follow it up. Two days later I find Nishikanta writing a poem wherein occurs the line

কে ভাসালে চাঁদের তরী

ke bhāsāle cāṁdera {{0}}tarī[[“Who made it sail, the moon-boat?” — Ed.]]

Some time back a similar thing happened. These are about expressions; similar things are happening about chanda also. Strange, isn’t it?

Nothing queer about that. You dropped the inspiration and did not work it out; so it went off and prodded N who let it through. That often happens.

31 July 1936