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...Longing For You!
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Longing For You - book reviews |
We are both seeking to follow a path to Him. Your book gives us guidance with expressive thoughts, thoughts that we aren't able to find for ourselves, but you have found them, putting them into inspirational verses. Thank you. You are a master of words, Kulbir, and your verses express the inner you. Wonderful to be so creative, expressing who you really are. Many are afraid to show their inner selves for fear of criticism. We admire your openness and sincerity. Believe the next level of knowing You will be through the spirituality of each of us becoming One. You are one of many who will show us the way. A Couple in Arizona ******************* When our 14-year-old daughter Gazal passed away, my wife Madhu and I thought that our world had come to an end. Initially we were angry at God; we did not know why he had done this to Gazal and to us. Gazal herself wasa saintly child and she had, in fact, a premonition about her departure from this world. We realized after some time that it was not God who caused our suffering. This realization came after we read the beautiful spiritual poems in Kulbir's book 'Longing For You'. We found a lot of solace in the poems. With Gazal's death anniversary approaching, we had been feeling somewhat restless. The poems have been a great source of strength. After reading them, we are feeling much better and more peaceful. I am sure these poems would be useful for anyone suffering from any kind of stress, either due to home-related problems or to work-related ones. Alok Bhatnagar, New Delhi, India ******************* The book is truly a magnificent work of inspiration and faith to everyone. You have been blessed by God of many talents and you have truly honored Him in your book. Elizabeth Kohler, Delaware ******************** Happiness is a warm poem. Published in
the Home News Tribune 6/22/03 The late comparative religion professor Joseph Campbell was fond of telling his students to "Follow your bliss." For the poet Kulbir, bliss in his collection "Longing for You" is seeking after the divine force that is his "constant caretaker." In my mind
and in my heart, In my joy and
in my sorrow, Those two opening stanzas from "And I'll Follow You" reveal the dedication and passion the poet has for his caretaker. Many of the 103 poems in this book revolve around individual poems' repetition of phrases of adulation and worship: "By Your Grace"; "Bless me"; "It's time"; "With You." The love object of Kulbir allows the poetry to assume the qualities of a ghazal, a centuries old Urdu verse form that later was adopted by the Persians. The striking feature of the ghazal is that the poet's beloved could be another person (someone else's wife, a courtesan or a boy). Or the poet may be expressing love for an ideal or for God. Kulbir's five-quatrain poem "Longing for You" illustrates how easily this love of the divine can be transferred to a person. It's only the capitalization of the love-object pronoun that keeps the reader from relegating this poetry to the status of medieval romantism. Longing for
You.
Charles H. Johnson is a Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation Poet. His poetry collection, "Tunnel Vision," has just been published by Warthog Press. He can be reached at (732) 565-7272; e-mail cjohnson@thnt.com ****************** The Courier Local poet
reaches out to people of all faith MIDDLETOWN--Kulbir Singh Bhalla, a resident of the township, discovered his true calling several years ago but chose to devote himself to it recently. A retired mechanical engineer from Bell Laboratories, a division of Lucent Technologies, Kulbir decided to concentrate on the things he loved best, photography and writing. “I used to write since I was in college during 1970s,” Kulbir said. “But, after retiring as a Distinguished Member of Technical Staff from Lucent, I figured I could spend my time just writing.” He has recently published a book of poems, entitled “Longing For You,” a collection of poems dedicated to the creator of the universe. “This collection is dedicated to people of all faith and religion,” Kulbir said. “My intention is to share my inspiration and awe about the creator in a language that would be understood by people from all backgrounds.” The poems in “Longing For You” are simple to read and reflects a personal intimacy that Kulbir said any human being would seek with his or her creator. “This book is especially relevant now, in the troubled times we are facing,” Kulbir said. “I hope people of all ages, back- grounds and faith, who are searching for hope, love and peace of mind, will enjoy these verses.” For Kulbir, nature is the best teacher and shows us how we can connect with our higher senses. Several of his poems originate from a natural setting that inspired him to reflect on life’s transiency and the need to break free the chains of regularity. With numerous solo exhibits of his photographs throughout the state, Kulbir said he loves to capture the beauty of the four seasons and the artistry of the infinite landscapes found in this world. “Nature can calm, sooth and inspire if we only have the time,” Kulbir said. “The higher power of creation manifests itself through nature and holds up universal truths before our eyes.” For example, it is difficult to think about harming someone if you have the chance to reflect on falling leaves in an autumn landscape, Kulbir said. In his poem entitled Forgive And Live, Kulbir speaks about forgiving others, of healing from our sorrows and beginning afresh. A graduate of the Delhi based Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), the premier engineering institute of India, Kulbir is the holder of five US patents. “I believe success and achievements are important in life but sometimes in pursuing them we lose our perspective,” Kulbir said. “We forget the power of love and neglect the wisdom that comes from simple things.” Kulbir has been writing poems for about 30 years now. He has four other collections of poems, Life Is Like That, Love Is Like That, Longing For Lara, and Still Longing For You, waiting in the wings. For more information on the book, contact Anjana Bhalla at (732) 530-2956 or visit http://www.fotoartinternational.com. Forgive And Live It’s
never late - Kulbir Singh Bhalla Poetic Faith: Longing For You! is a 128 page, 6” x 9” paperback book, having 103 inspirational/spiritual poems by Kulbir, a local poet.
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