I actually want to write an epic poem

Poet Hanzala Han desires to immerse in transient poetry while aspiring to write epics. In his childhood, he wished to become a tree. He believes that the essence of art lies in the emotions and feelings of humans, which are innate. He expressed these thoughts in conversation with Mahfuz Sarder, sub-editor of Views Bangladesh.

Views Bangladesh: What book of yours has been published in this year's book fair?
Hanzala Han: One of my poetry books has been published. Its name is "Shunyo Somoy" (Empty Time).

Views Bangladesh: Tell us about the beginning of your writing journey. When was your first piece published?
Hanzala Han: My first poem was published after my secondary school exams. It was published in a youth magazine from Dhaka. It was a unique joy - seeing a village boy's writing printed in letters. At first, it felt like a dream. My writing journey started about three to four years before that. However, not all of it was publishable. Like how young artists imitate famous artworks, young writers also begin by mimicking. The pyramid wasn't built in a day. The path to my writing was equally long. It didn't just happen suddenly. I came, I saw, I conquered - I don't believe in that. I don't aspire to be popular. The story of that long journey into writing is currently stranded at the riverbank. I believe if my poetry isn't genuine until the end, everything else I've said will become insignificant. Therefore, for now, the path to writing a genuine poem continues to be traversed by me.

Views Bangladesh: Is poetry your only medium of expression?
Hanzala Han: Currently, I am immersed in poetry. I am also working on manuscripts for two lengthy poems. With poetry, especially my own, there are some questions and conflicts within myself. I want to resolve those first. I write various types of articles for newspapers, but none of that literature holds any value to me.

Views Bangladesh: What do you aim to convey through your poetry?
Hanzala Han: In poetry, if I directly express what I want to say, I feel it weakens the essence of poetry. To me, pure art is like music. Consider a bird flying in the evening sky. Literary artists can easily describe it with words. Musicians can express it through song. Dancers can portray it with their movements. Visual artists can capture it through painting. Even cinema can depict it. However, expressing this scene through the melody of a flute, a tabla, or any other musical instrument is the most challenging because, to understand the bird-sky-evening scene, it has to be perceived through music. There's no need for words or even the slightest hint. Although all forms of art are imitations, as a reflection in a mirror, it's not a direct replica. It's a transformation just as wood transforms when it comes in contact with fire, similarly. In poetry, we can transform scenes or feelings. Therefore, wood-related elements might exist in poetry, but readers will feel the heat when they read it. The one who can bring that fire within sentences is a true poet.

Views Bangladesh: Why is it that poetry readers are always few in number?
Hanzala Han: It's not just poetry; in all forms of art, the more artistic the medium becomes, the fewer its audience. As an art form, cinema is the most popular medium. However, a separate genre called art films has been created, and its audience is even smaller. "Golap Sundori" isn't for every reader. "Meghnad Bodh Kabbo" isn't for everyone either.

Views Bangladesh: What are you currently writing? What are you reading?
Hanzala Han: I’m sitting on the wheel. I don't enjoy this kind of lifestyle. I want stability like a mountain, yet with the dynamism of a comet. But, time has put me on the wheel. I'm searching for what to write. I finished reading "My Dagestan" by Rasul Gamzatov over the past six months. Now, I'm searching for " Notebook of a Return to My Native Land" by Aimé Césaire and " Anabase" by Saint-John Perse. I'm also looking for "Metamorphosis" by Ovid. Additionally, I'm searching for " Ishwaritala's fairy tale" by Shaymal Gangopadhyay.

Views Bangladesh: Whose poetry do you enjoy in this generation?
Hanzala Han: It wouldn't be right to provide a direct answer to this question. It could lead to unnecessary debate. I dislike creating pointless debates and keeping myself engaged in arguments.

Views Bangladesh: How important is regular reading for writers?
Hanzala Han: When I was young, I read an interview with Al Mahmud. The headline was, 'To Write, You Must Read.' Many others have said the same before or after him. But for me, that statement remains attributed to Al Mahmud. My memory is very weak. I often forget names and numbers. Once, I went to Chittagong for a trip. I checked into a hotel. I wandered around all day and couldn't remember my room number at night in the hotel. It has happened many times. However, some things do stick in my mind. At certain moments, certain things come to mind verbatim. Therefore, while reading habits are important, they can also lead to procrastination. Sometimes, other people's words and thoughts inadvertently seep into my writing. If I can recognize them, I discard them; if not, it can lead to trouble. An excellent example of memory confusion is Binoy Majumdar. In his later years, he composed Rabindra Sangeet. Some people can write without reading. Their situation is different. Not writing something new can cause discomfort, just as not reading something new can make the mind gloomy. Without writing, without reading, without walking, I cannot spend many days.

Views Bangladesh: Tell us about your experience and journey with epic poetry?
Hanzala Han: Nowadays, it's not the era of epic poetry, as a notion that is circulating in society. From the beginning, I haven't found this notion acceptable. A few days ago, it was said that this is the era of fiction. Then it was said - this is the era of non-fiction. Currently, it is said that this is not the era of text, but the era of images. I want to say that the essence of art is the emotions and feelings of humans, which are natural. Times are changing, but nature is not changing much. All the elements of nature are still the same. The way of life may be changing, but when you cut your hand, blood still flows out, just as it did a thousand years ago. Even now, the evening sky mesmerizes us. The mind feels restless when it rains.

I actually want to write an epic poem, but I don't have the language and preparation required to write an epic. Therefore, I write long poems, trying to alleviate the disappointment of not being able to write an epic. Currently, I am trying to establish a new form. Whether it will succeed or not, I do not know. Calling it entirely new might seem presumptuous to someone. Nowadays, my mental state, in short, if I say, is like the end of an epidemic, wars are going on in many countries, authoritarian regimes (including Bangladesh) have entrenched themselves, the freedom of expression is diminishing, nowadays it feels like - I am residing at some other time, sometimes, as if I have read in classical literature, the time for writing an epic.

Views Bangladesh: Is your long poem influenced by repetition?
Hanzala Han: I dislike giving interviews. I had thought this interview would somehow be avoided, but I participated in it because this question seemed solely for me. Isn't it? Many questions in interviews revolve around the same themes as those in the lives of most poets, writers, or any other individuals. Consequently, it is challenging to find new questions for interviewees. Upon encountering this question, it seems to me that this interview is entirely for me. If I wanted, I could directly answer this question, but that might lead to discussing my own poetry, which I dislike. I'll just say, for the sake of avoiding repetition, after writing this manuscript, I had set it aside for five years. During this time, I read it repeatedly. How much I have managed to avoid repetition, those who read my book will be able to answer.