'Madras Central' a poem by late Vijay Nambisan

 'Madras Central' a poem by  late Vijay Nambisan 

I request readers to read the poem in the above link first and then my review. Thanks. 

'Madras Central' a poem written by the late Mr. Vijay Nambisan, won the All India Poetry Competition in 1988 by the Poetry Society.

The journeys we undertake vary. In fact journeys carry a purpose, the worth of which is often a mystery. In Vijay Nambisan's poem both the entire train journey and the Central Station, an intermediary destination, are metaphors. These two symbolize our life journey. The tedium of the journey and the fear of getting robbed both have been highlighted well. The destination does not hold hopes or hospitality as we see from these lines:

Come, we will go and drink

A filthy cup of tea in a filthy restaurant.

We understand that the poetry was written in 80s when flight was considered a luxury and was in fact beyond the reach of the middle class. But does Nambisan harp only on the challenges and discomforts of a train journey? The poem suddenly unveils a curtain to a thought provoking picture of human relationships in the ending stanza:

And also a memory of my setting out

When I was confused, so confused. Terrifying

To think we have such power to alter our states,

Order comings and goings: know where we’re not wanted

And carry our unwantedness somewhere else.”

The cynicism in the last stanza achieves the target of a poem, that is, awaken the reader with a jolt. The end of reading is actually a beginning of a new thought process for the reader. We travel because we are needed at the destination. But we do carry the unwantedness. What does the poet mean? Is he too arbitrary and bitter? Don’t people want us? Isn’t the professionalism and unique skills I carry make me wanted elsewhere? The poet drives home something more pertinent. He mentions you are not wanted as a human being; that is, you are wanted for your utility and unwanted as you are. Your utility includes the source of emotional support people find in you and vice versa? The poem is silent. You cannot count on anyone to get into your shoes and empathetically feel your agony and despair and pain and loneliness. This is the order of life and human relationships. The poem’s strength is seamlessly moving from micro to macro with a very subtle hint on an everlasting most difficult question ‘Who is wanted where and why?’