Literary Notes
An evening with Emily Dickinson
Launched Into Eternity by Masud Mahmood (and published by Niaz Zaman at writers.ink) is a study of Emily Dickinson's poems and letters. In a sense, the launch of the work at the American Centre on 13 December was an anniversary celebration of this remarkable American poet. Her birthday fell on 10 December. Born a hundred and thirty nine years ago, Dickinson passed into immortality after a life span of fifty six years. Only seven of her poems were published during her lifetime. She had asked her sister to burn her poems. Her sister ended up publishing the poems after the poet's death. The poet focused on her feelings. For her, to experience the sunrise and sunset was a most fortunate augury. She once noted that 'people say a word dies when it is written by pen, but for me that word's life is just about to begin.' For Emily Dickinson, life and death were one continuum and not things apart. She said, '…because I could not stop for death, he kindly stopped for me. The carriage held just ourselves and immortality.' The poet saw love mingled with life, for '…I argue… that love is life. And life hath immortality.' And further that 'love is anterior to life, posterior to death, initial of creation, and the exponent of breath.' The book launch was a near perfect event in terms of ambiance, erudite audience and timing. The welcoming remarks by Ms Lauren Lovelace, the elegant director of the American Centre, set off the sparkling occasion. The warmth of her words, her exposition of the purposes of the centre, made a deep impression on those present. Dr. Niaz Zaman, who has long taught English literature at Dhaka University, spoke eloquently of her student, the writer Masud Mahmood. She had been his supervisor. He laboured for eight long years to complete his dissertation on Emily Dickinson. His find was stupendous: her letters and one thousand seven hundred and seventy five poems against a backdrop of the teachings of the Calvinist branch of orthodox Christianity. Mahmood has done well in shaping all the research material into a friendly volume for regular readers. Professor Rebecca Haq, Chairperson, Department of English, Dhaka University, spoke elaborately on Dickinson as well as the writer's critical talent. As she herself is a specialist in American literature, her in-depth delivery highlighted the digression of perspectives on the central theme of the poet. A recitation by Zarin Alam, assistant professor at Dhaka University, sounded particularly apt. The poem? Because I Could Not Stop… And then it was for another respected academic, Dr. Shawkat Hussain, to enlighten the audience. He poured humour into the session by addressing the writer. 'You are still alive…' meaning to say that the writer had survived, having dealt with the theme of death in Dickinson for eight long years. The audience broke into laughter. Masud Mahmood remarked that appreciation of Dickinson necessarily must encompass her Calvinistic background, the mystery of the hereafter and an understanding of the temporal in light of the eternal. While other Christian thinkers located sacred times in the presence of God, the poet achieved this subjectively in a lyrical state of mind. Death and the doctrine of resurrection were central to her writing. The closing, rather nostalgic remarks were by Parveen, a former student of the writer and now with the American Centre. Masud Mahmood, she noted, had been an enthusiastic and gutsy teacher. He had begun teaching American literature at Chittagong University through surmounting enormous difficulties. Programme schedule aside, the writer's omission was in not announcing the name of his artist wife Nasima Akter Masud, the individual behind the cover design of the book The exciting evening ended over tea and tête-à-tête.
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