Kabita Samagra by Arun Kumar Sarkar [Hardcover]

"I believe that one of the qualities of poetry is to be memorable," once wrote Arun Kumar Sarkar. This statement is not just a casual remark; today, it stands as a living example in his very own poetry. Despite having only two published collections of poetry, both of which have long been out of print, Arun Kumar Sarkar is perhaps the poet who has written the most memorable lines among the poets of the post-Rabindranath era. Phrases like "Purono bondhura joto smritir gombuj hoye ache", "Brishti bheja barir moto rohoshyomoy/ tomaar haat-e ache amar ekto somoy", "Pratidhwani ghore kokhono kokhono/ Ke achho? Keu achho? Keu ki nei he", "Jodi more jai/ Phool hoye jeno jhore jai", "Joubon jai. Joubonbedona je/ Jai na", "Shudhu prem noy, kichu ghurna rekho mone", "Bhalobasha, tumi shudhu shongkhochhil", "Rekhechi tamaler gopon daale/ Jouboti Shriradhar tanu", "Sindhuk nei, shorno anini/ Enechi bhikshalobdha dhanya", "Shob kobitai punorlikhito kobita"—these are just a few of the countless verses scattered throughout Arun Kumar Sarkar's poems, which have not only resonated with contemporaries but also continue to circulate in the mouths of readers even today.

This collection brings together all of Arun Kumar Sarkar's poetry, including his published volumes Durer Akash and Jao, Uttorer Hawa, as well as a host of poems that have never been compiled before—some of which have never even appeared in the Shreshtho Kobita (Best Poems) anthology. Additionally, his poetry written for children and his Bengali translations of foreign poets have also been included in this collection.

One of the highlights of this collection is a long critical essay titled "Kobi Arun Kumar" by Nirendranath Chakraborty, which serves both as an introduction and as a key to understanding the profound depths of Arun Kumar Sarkar's poetry.

All in all, this Kobitasamagra (Poetry Collection) of Arun Kumar Sarkar is a significant, valuable, and long-awaited addition to modern Bengali poetry.