Poetry is the language of the heart of the soul. Across the globe, there are several who indulge in this gratifying art. An year ago, I bumped into a Web site which encouraged people to submit their poems across India. They invite poets across the globe too.
Four anthologies and two national meetings old, the Web site: Poetriesonline.com aims to bring poets across the globe together.
A rendezvous with the founder of this forum, GopaKumar RadhaKrishnan

Happy National Poetry Day . How does it feel to be a poet and also run a forum for poets?

First of all, I thank God for gifting me the conscience of a poet, and its natural sensitivity. Whenever I identify myself as a poet, I sense a unique purpose in my life about what I am meant for. It makes me see things from a very broad perspective and always feel the need to go beyond from my present state of being. I become more and more spiritual when I write poems…
A great national forum for Indian English poets is a big dream that I am working towards. Being connected with a wide range of poems and poets from different parts of the world gives me immense satisfaction and a perfect ground to update myself with great ideas from life. More than an online group for sharing poems, this has immense potential for personal growth and mutual help, and also gifts a great, valuable friendship cutting across all borders.

When did you start poetriesonline.com and how did XpressPublications.com happen?

Our website www.poetriesonline.com was started in 2006, and we feel proud to have been able to gather many poets, release four national anthology series and conduct two national poets’ meets at Bangalore, which we count as a great achievement and love to cherish always.
www.xpresspublications.com is a forum promoted to support and help art and artists to grow together and publish their work before a national community of poets and like-minded souls. It aims to include areas of art other than poetry, and we hope with time it becomes one of the best of its kind.

What do you think is the scene for poetry in India?

I love to say that poetry is a subject that our motherland has ever taken into her heart. She has given birth to great poets from time to time, who have gifted us many masterpieces in their own mother tongue. English poetry has a major role to play with respect to Indian poetry. We all know that English is a beautiful language which connects this world beyond borders. So, writing and translating our work based on many Indian languages to English is very much advised since it opens up our inherent talents and marvelous works to be exposed to a wider base.
We are proud that we have initiated and amplified this process through our online forum and anthology series. But we still find that this task needs to be taken up more and more by many talented poets with enthusiasm, offering hands to support this wonderful mission by joining our forum and sharing their best work.
To further promote English poetry in India, we have proposed a national anthology series for the year 2012 titled “Indus Valley”. This is expected to be enriched with poems of national and cultural importance, though it is opened for all categories of poems. We expect this will fetch more enthusiasm to the minds of Indian writers from all over the world. We hope to release this book on our third national meet.

What’s your favorite poem?

Though I wish to quote many poems here, I would particularly love to share the following poem with all:

Bonding Sermons
Climbing up is good
Learn from a grape vine
Giving its fruit in bunches
Turning into a beautiful bond

Climbing up is good
But don’t step on others
Rather, share your lightness
To make them lift you up

Climbing up is good
But don’t push them down
Let them breathe and relax
You give them the shade
Forming a natural cover

Climbing up is good
Let them feel preserved
You cover up their nakedness
And let your care
Catch up with their whole trust

Climbing up is good
But don’t rob the other’s food
With your greed and lust
But share your honey
To nourish the other

Climbing up is good
Don’t leave any deep scars
Anywhere over them
Spoiling their charm
Rather you caress their marks
Let them shine back

Climbing up is good
So do it always with love,
Togetherness is strength
Sacrifice gains the trust
So whenever you fall
The other may hold or mourn
So you are never left alone

“Let Us Grow Together”

Any poem you think of for the Poetry day? If so, please pen it down .

Why is It Closed?
Look around and feel…
From your sensitivity originates
Invisible chords to the beings around
Be in tune with your silence
God is reaching towards you.
As wind, light, warmth,
The solace of night
And in infinite forms

This universe
Is amazingly knotted
Forming a cosmic ocean
And you like an ant
Inside a bottle of sugar
Baffled, and ponders
From where to begin,
What to do and where to go…

With ignorance
Many say there is only one path
And many make countless devices
To travel away
Like an ant moving outside
Missing its sweet home

There exists no path
And all your paths end
Before your own doors
So open your doors
Welcome him with devotion
He may enter his true temple

And, there are so many wonderful poets out there. Some of them have just stopped writing.
In about few words, can you motivate them .

I really wish that I could motivate all world to write beautiful poems. Let me give a try…
Being creative is divine
But it needs a soothing silence
I wish you are contemplating
To bring in the wisdom, so profound
You may take your own time…

But, I wish you share it soon, with love -
Well before everything slips into the dark
Millions wait here so hopefully
You be self motivated, to ignite the sun inside
May be, this world needs you in many forms…

Thank you so much Gopaji.
Happy National Poetry Day to everybody . Do visit the Web site and explore .