Forty Four Poems
By Ajay Singh Yadav

The Craft of Verse

The craft of verse
And the art of poetry;
Are the reverse and observe
Of the same coin: maybe!
But I being poor have no money,
None that is now legal tender, strictly speaking.
That’s all the pieces about honeysuckle and honey-
That’s all the treasure in my keeping.
But if only will smile on me!
I promise something better than craft or art-
A song in the clear language of the heart.

Table of Contents

• About the Author• A Hotel In Paharganj• A Modern Politician• The Colors of the Grass• After the second rain• The Christian Cemetery at Betul• Give me a lonely Road• Two Nandis• Black Beauty• A Memory• Silent Witness• Mademoiselle• Alfristoun• On the Way to the Garden• Listen to the Silence• The Forest in Summer• Palash• Kaliasote in Winter• The Abandoned House• Poetry is a Load of Crap• October Rain• Nocturne 2• The Lonesome Graveyard• Chikaldara• A Forest Shrine• Nocturnal Walk• Samardha• Samardha Revisited• Power• Evening In The Park• Moving On• Moonlight• August Afternoon• The Cemetery At Kashmiri Gate Delhi• The Poet’s Vocation• The Craft of Verse• Uttarkashi• Aurangzeb• The Successful Poet• In Memoriam• The Landscape of My Mind• Epitaph• A Civil Servant Remembers• A Hotel Room• A Good Man is Forever