Poetry often reaches the places where ordinary explanations fall short. In “Black And White Man,” Hirakjyoti Deka uses 65 illustrated poems to examine human vulnerability, fractured relationships, social suffering, innocence, and the mysteries that accompany life’s most difficult experiences.
Many Shades Within a Black and White World
The title may suggest opposites, yet the collection continually reveals the complicated emotional territory between them. Lost love, existential fear, nostalgia, happiness, political concerns, and the desire to preserve innocence all find a place in his verse. Each subject presents another side of human experience, allowing moments of tenderness to appear beside unsettling observations. The poems frequently ask readers to reconsider the people and situations they might otherwise judge too quickly.
A moving example appears in “Platonic Moon and Sea,” where the moon and ocean become companions bound by an enduring connection. The sea relies on the moon’s phases to guide its waves and finds life in the faint light reflected across its surface. Their friendship has grown old, and its earlier warmth seems to be disappearing. A determined breeze threatens further separation, while the possibility of rebirth offers a distant hope for renewed affection.
The book’s format supports this reflective approach by pairing every poem with an image. Available in hardcover edition on Amazon and spread across 148 pages, the illustrations can help readers visualize the atmosphere surrounding each idea while developing their own interpretations. The suggested reading age of 13 years and above makes the collection accessible to teenagers beginning to explore serious poetry. Adults may find equal value in its emotional directness, varied themes, and engagement with social concerns.
Voices From Life’s Overlooked Corners
“Abuse” addresses trauma with language that refuses to minimize its consequences. The poem considers how abuse can influence identity, intimacy, mental well-being, substance use, and a survivor’s perception of physical or emotional responses. Some people seek professional support, while others struggle to continue living with memories that remain painfully active. Hirakjyoti closes the idea with a haunting question about whether a wound can ever forget the person responsible for creating it.
A different kind of struggle shapes “The Fool,” which examines the pressure to appear clever, successful, and socially impressive. The fool possesses qualities that the ambitious may try to suppress, including generosity, rebellion, humility, and the ability to share another person’s happiness. He can laugh at himself publicly because he has little interest in protecting a polished image. The poem treats this openness as a form of strength that wealth and intelligence cannot easily purchase.
In “Ragman,” the focus shifts toward a young scrap collector walking beneath the heat of a boiling Sunday. He spends his limited money on adhesive and inhales it while pulling a cart filled with discarded materials. A nearby observer initially responds with moral judgment, though the sight soon inspires sympathy and restraint. Through this encounter, Hirakjyoti draws attention to addiction, deprivation, and the limited choices facing people whose suffering unfolds in public yet often remains unseen.
Symbolism takes the lead in “A Joyride,” which invites a lone traveler aboard an unusual train. The journey passes flooded farms, wide rivers, blurry thickets, and unknown stations, though the passenger receives no clear explanation of the final destination. There is no ticket checker, vendor, companion, or luggage on board. The traveler must simply trust the train, making the poem feel like an invitation to release fear and accept an uncertain passage toward transformation.
About the Author
Away from the page, Hirakjyoti enjoys playing music, reading novels, and spending quiet periods in solitude, activities that support his appreciation for rhythm, storytelling, and introspection. His academic background includes a master’s degree in History, and he is currently employed alongside his personal and creative pursuits. His comfort with reflective time appears closely aligned with poetry that studies private emotions, human behavior, and scenes that could easily pass unnoticed.
Beyond the Printed Lines
“Black And White Man” asks readers to spend time with emotions and realities that may resist simple answers. By combining poetry with individual illustrations, Hirakjyoti creates an expressive collection that encourages empathy, personal reflection, and a more attentive view of the people moving through an imperfect world. For readers drawn to reflective verse paired with images, it offers a quietly powerful reading experience.
