A poem : She walks in beauty by Lord Byron

    Lord Byron is my all time favorite poet. He is regarded as one of the greatest English poets. One interesting fact about him besides his literary works is that Ada Lovelace who is known as the first computer programmer in the world was his daughter.

 His short poems are fascinating masterpieces with elegant diction and musical rhyming. She walks in beauty is the most beautiful short poem written by Lord Byron according to my taste. The poem is simple yet so graceful and flawless that you will have an urge to read it every day until you can recite the poem by heart. Also this delightful little poem will bring you so much happiness and will lift your spirits high up because it speaks about the loveliest and the purest girl you have ever come across. 

   According to Wikipedia, this poem was written in 1813 and it is believed that Lord Byron wrote this poem after meeting Mrs. John Wilmot, a cousin by marriage at a ball. John Wilmot was a member of the Parliament of Great Britain.

She walks in beauty like the night

Of cloudless climes and starry skies

And all that’s best of dark and bright

Meet in her aspects and her eyes

Thus mellow’d to that tender light

Which heaven to gaudy day denies

One shade the more, one ray the less

Had half impaired the nameless grace

Which waves every raven tress

Or softly lightens o’er her face

Where thoughts serenely sweet express

How pure how dear their dwelling place

And on that cheek and o’er that brow

So soft so calm yet eloquent

The smiles that win the tints that glow

But tell of days in goodness spent

A mind at peace with all below

A heart whose love is innocent!

So what did you think? Have you ever read such a lovely bundle of words woven together by a charming melodious design narrating a divinely beautiful story before?

Mystic River: a survivor’s tragedy

Mystic River is one of the greatest mystery movies I have watched, with an exciting yet emotional story woven around three childhood friends who have become estranged over years until a tragedy brings them together again. As any other good thriller movie, it is full of suspense and mystery and gives you a feeling of holding your breath with a pounding heart throughout the two hours and at the end you definitely don’t regret it. But what makes this movie even more special is the strong emotional element behind the entire plot. That’s what I’d like to discuss in this post.

      One aspect of the situation is the grieving father who has lost his 19 year old daughter, who had been shot and beaten by an unknown person. I felt his anguish and grief right along the story, his struggle to take control over the situation and his rage was quite understandable, given his circumstances as an ex-convict. On the other hand, there is the detective who has been called to solve the homicide case of his childhood friend’s daughter. Being at a higher social position than his two childhood friends, although unwilling at first he tries to put an effort to renew his friendship while feeling protective towards them as his colleague calls it a liability.

  But the strongest impact is made by the third friend who is the victim and survivor of a childhood sexual abuse incident, Dave. Apart from the mystery, for me the whole film was about the plight of the victims of childhood abuse. At the very outset we see his terrified sad eyes looking at his friends while he is being abducted by the assailants. Then we see him as an adult who is struggling with his traumatic memories while keeping up with his beloved son and wife. I strongly felt that undeniable prejudice against people with a traumatic past and how unfair and unreasonable it could become and how much agony and suffering those people go through. The movie also speaks about the lives of their spouses; the loving and supportive wife is gradually losing her faith and driving towards desperation.

If you have not watched the movie yet, that would be unfair to reveal more about the plot because it will break the suspense. But as the final note I would like to comment about the unforgettable scene of the concrete slab on which the three boys have written their names, with only D and A with the rest missing, written for DAVE while the names of his two friends are complete. It resembles the sad truth about those unfortunate victims and their innocent lives, that there will be some part of their lives missing always.

Duishen - The first teacher by Chinghiz Aitmatov

I got the chance to read that dear old sweet book again, probably I’ve read it more than five times before and what I remember the best is myself crying for at least 30 minutes every time after having finished reading it. I do cry after reading sad stories but usually I don’t cry if I happen to read it for the second or third time. But I did cry this time again. It is the best love story of all time for me so far.

   Before moving on to the book, I’d like to revive that memory of reading that book for the first time. I found it in my school’s library. I was a teenager who mocked at the word love. It was a popular book and many people recommended it to me because I was a keen reader but reading a love story was the last thing I wanted to do. But since the book was so small and the recommendation and reviews were so flattering, I thought of giving it a try. And I remember my total confusion and shock and later the utter amazement and warmth I felt. It is a happy memory to recall.

      Incredibly short nonetheless immensely enthralling from the very beginning to the end, it tells you a story of a poor orphan girl who lived in a small village located in Kyrgyzstan in the era of Soviet Russia and how her miserable life changed after a young teacher came to the village to start a school. It’s a story about a teacher, a humble yet noble teacher who strives to lighten up the lives of poor children whose parents and grandparents have never been taught to read or write, the struggle he faces to convince them to send their children to school and who dedicates his life for his service. He is the best teacher anyone can ever be.

                          Although I said it is the best love story ever, most importantly that remarkable relationship is not a physical element which is the greatest part of the story. The connection between the student and the teacher is entirely spiritual to an extent so heartbreaking that it will melt your heart over and over again with those warm respectful feelings of the girl and the affectionate protectiveness and kindness of the teacher. It is the love in its purest form depicted in the most humble background. It will definitely bring you teachers when you realize how beautiful the humans can be after all.

I still believe in love because of this story book.

To end this post i quote from the book :
Ah my poplars, my beautiful poplars! So much water has flowed under the bridges since you were  young slender saplings! All that the man who planted and tended you dreamed of, all he predicted has come true!

Wuthering heights : the unforgettable love story

I am not so fond of romantic fictions when it comes to reading. I enjoyed Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen but at the end I had this wretched feeling about myself compared to Lizzy and promised myself I shall never read a love story again. But naturally I would break my promise and renew it over and over again. But there is only one love story i don't regret reading. That is Wuthering Heights.

I've never read a more passionate story than Wuthering Heights. Written in 18th century by Emily Bronte, in the same century when the Austen's Pride and Prejudice was written, this unique classic relates a story of a mysterious character called Heathcliffe and his love interest Catherine. The timeline expands to three generations not missing a single element of its strange wildness and intensity.

Wuthering Heights is not a story of refined love, sophisticated conversations and delightful settings. It's an incredible narration of love at its barest and rawest forms. It's not only about love, but also about hatred, sorrow, revenge and every other fervent feelings you can think of.

I had something like a headache, a heavy feeling of my head, the whole time I read the book. It was that much vehement for me. But I will love it always.

The lamb : blake's depiction of innocence

William Blake is one of my favourite poets. I love his themes , his diction and elegant rhyming of the verses. His poems have deeper meaning when analysed carefully which are very interesting but to get hold of that actual intended meaning i often have to read a book or an article.

 But i prefer interpreting poems on the basis of my taste and understanding. And that my own interpretation is the reason i remember some of my favourite poems. The lamb is one of them.

The lamb    by William Blake

little lamb who made thee
dost thou know who made thee
gave thee life and bid thee feed
by the stream and o'er the mead
gave thee clothing of delight
softest clothing wooly and bright
gave thee such a tender voice
making all the vales rejoice
little lamb who mad thee
dost thou know who made thee

little lamb i'll tell thee
little lamb i'll tell thee
he is called by thy name
for he calls himself a lamb
he is meek and he is mild
he became a little child
i a child and thou a lamb
we are called by his name
little lamb God bless thee
little lamb God bless thee


I would like to appreciate this poem as a beautiful dialogue of purity and innocence. It builds up a picture of large innocent eyes of young lamb or a little child, not polluted yet by the life experience.

The delicate use of phrases such as "clothing of delight", "softest clothing", "tender voice", "wooly and bright" further enhances the naivety illustrated throughout. I find the last two phrases of the poem as the peak of its sincerity. The phrase "little lamb God bless thee" is something unforgettable for me because it evokes a powerful expression of affection bestowed towards a fellow member of mother nature.

I am not a Christian and i don't believe in God. But that phrase which is full of love uttered to a little lamb makes my heart lighter every time i read this poem..

12 angry men : a film you must watch

Watching movie from 1950s sounded weird for the first time when a good friend of mine recommended this great movie "12 angry men" for me. But today I am ever so grateful for my friend and for myself for the choice I made. That's why I want to spread the news for all those who love watching movies. You will not regret it.

It's movie about life, people and values. And it's movie that is totally worthy of your time

For the most part of the movie, the location is a room with 12 men inside it. They are the jurors of a murder trial who have been asked to give a decision fully in agreement. The verdict looks obviously guilty but the tension begins when one juror stands against all other 11 men and declares his doubt.

Henry Fonda plays that one juror, an ordinary person with a great sense of responsibility, who became an unforgettable hero of my life. Each time he said "i don't know" with that perplexed expression on his face , i remember how I held my breath.

 The rest of the characters are the people we meet everyday in our lives including yourself, and after watching the movie you will ponder who you are out of the 12 men and who you should become.