CELEBRATING THE UNHEARD MELODY OF LOUIS PETER

 

According to Francis Bacon,

“There is no excellent beauty that hath not some strangeness in the proportion.”

     Louis Peter, a Malayalam poet was one who turned harsh realities of life into poetry. He enjoyed the beauty within 'strangeness' and wrote from his experiences. His poetry was hard and I mark them as the ‘celebration of unusuals' rather than the mundane celebration of usuals. 

     This writing carries the motive to express his uniqueness and to throw light on the intensity of emotions carried by his lines.

He once pointed that,

"നരകം സമ്മാനമായി തന്ന

നാരായംകൊണ്ടാണ് ഞാനെഴുതുന്നത്

അതിനാലാണ് എന്റെ കവിതകളിൽ

ദൈവത്തിന്റെ കൈയക്ഷരം

ഇല്ലാതെപോയത് "

And the translation is,

“I write with the pen gifted from hell. 

This is why my writings lack the hand of God.”

    

     He passed away in 2020 and he was a native of Vengoor, Kerala. He moved out from his job at Federal Bank with a motive to dwell deep into poetry. He wrote his first poem in 1986 and the second came in 2006. He was a harsh personality who lived by relying on liquor and this made his attire unappealing to the crowd. People never valued the life and lines of an untidy man. The presentation was an attempt to judge Louis Peter as a poet by focussing on to the intensity of his lines and eliminating his nature of living.

     An interesting fact about his life is how he borrowed money from friends by gifting them small poems. He requested to have them published and they were all published in his poetry collection ‘Louis Peterinte Kavithakal' in 2017. 

     His bio in this book is the picture of himself which goes as,

"എന്നെക്കുറിച്ചാണെങ്കിൽ

എന്നോട് ചോദിക്കുക

മൗനക്ഷരങ്ങൾ നിറച്ച

ഒരു കടലാസുകീറ്

നിങ്ങൾക്ക് ഞാൻ തരാം

അതിൽ നിങ്ങളെന്നെ വായിച്ചെടുക്കുക"

And the translation is,

“Ask me about myself 

and I shall give you a paper of silent letters, 

You may read me from those”

   

     By reading his poetry it is evident that he had many troubles and alienation, but he was highly optimistic in each circumstance. He dreamt of a society where each one is provided with their needs. He pointed to the matters which are to be considered seriously, both personal and general, as the troubles of being marginalised and the natural issues like deforestation. He was aware of the disrespect of society towards him.

He once expressed,

“പാതയായി പോയതുകൊണ്ടാകാം നിരന്തരം ചവിട്ടേൽക്കുന്നത്,

ഇനി ആകാശമാകണം, നക്ഷത്രങ്ങൾ പൂക്കുന്ന ഒരു മഹാശാഖി”

And the translation is,

“Perhaps being a road might have brought me stamps.

Hence, I wish to be the sky of blooming stars"

                               

Another glimpse from his poetry goes as,

“Lament not for the dead.

But lament for those who have left their homes,

for those who have lost their love and affection,

for those who have wandered on malnourished paths,

for those who have come to rest under shadeless trees.”

                                (translated from Malayalam)

     He dealt with a different lifestyle where travelling, film fares and friendship occupied a space. He was named Loui Paappan by his friends. He enjoyed the way he lived and the lines below projects his life,

"ഞാൻ ഒരു മുഷിഞ്ഞ വസ്ത്രമാണ്

എന്നെ അലക്കി വെളുപ്പിക്കരുത്"

I did a translation which goes as,

“I am an untidy cloth, never cleanse me”

                                

     The concern to a person by considering his ideals and the uniqueness is inevitable to value the morals they expressed. Louis Peter's writings aren't something to be buried with him, but they must live to enlighten the ideals of rebuilding society. 

     Evaluating through the experiences of Louis Peter, the concept and practice of distinction which existed between the haves and the have nots (the rich and poor) occupy a place for consideration. Opportunities and spaces are for the dominant, they are mostly estimated through the dress they wear, the language they use and the living conditions. Louis Peter had his life on streets and his works were limited to the margins. This presentation is a hope to see the marginalised voices attaining recognition in the coming days. Hence I title Louis Peter as 'The Rough and Radiant Poet'. He isn't the only one restricted within the hollowness but there are many. This writing is thus an attempt to bring the 'muted melodies'.