Nirodbaran

Correspondence with Sri Aurobindo

Second Series

2. Art and Literature

Modes and Varieties of Poetic Creation

I have been plodding at a poem and now it is ready. So slow and laborious I am as a poet!

What of that? The result is all right. X used to write ten or twelve poems in a day or any number more. It takes me usually a day or two days to write and perfect one or three days even, or if very inspired I get two short ones out, and have thereafter to revise the next day. Another poet will be like Virgil writing nine lines a day and spending all the rest of his time polishing and polishing. A fourth will be like Manmohan, as I knew him, setting down half lines and fragments and taking 2 weeks or 2 months to put them into shape. The time does not matter, getting it done and the quality alone matter. So forge ahead and don't be discouraged by the prodigious rapidity of Nishikanta.

Here is a joint effort – some stanzas by myself, some by Nishikanta. Perhaps they fail as a whole?

It is certainly a little difficult to keep them together, especially as Nishikanta's stanzas are strong and fiery and yours are delicate and plaintive. It is like a strong robustuous fellow and a delicate slender one walking in a leash – they don't quite coalesce.

08.12.1935