Metaphor of death in ‘Ode to Bombay’.

 Metaphor of death in ‘Ode to Bombay’. Indian English poetry tried to emulate the western literary trends and chose to merge with what was considered mainstream writing. In order to make a mark for itself and to be seen as a distinct entity, Indian English poetry had to generate a new kind of expression by turning to customs and traditions; those would be redefined and made relevant. Linguistic skills were attended to with gusto. The formal in writing was sought to be replaced by the popular and aggressive.

Dilip Chitre (1938-2009) was born in Vadodra, Gujarat. Although his mother tongue was Marathi, he knew Gujarati equally well, and because of his early education in a Jesuit school he learnt English when young. Metaphor of death in ‘Ode to Bombay’ He was well versed in Hindustani language, too, that was spoken in a larger part of the country in the pre-independence period, Chitre attained a comprehensive view of Indian cultures and languages owing to the different places he stayed in his formative years. When he was twelve, his family moved to Bombay. Exposure to many languages enabled Dilip Chitre to take up for expression both Marathi and English. He also translated Marathi works into English. He is best known for his translations of the Bhakti poet Tukaram.

A writer, critic, translator, and filmmaker, Chitre also penned a novel titled Morphyus. He was a leading figure in the “Little Magazine” movement that took shape in Marathi literature. Two things find specific mention in Chitre’s poetry, the urban surroundings and broader social concerns. We are struck by his stress on the modern outlook that is critical of the mundane. He has successfully delinked himself from the values of the National Movement. It is the emerging India that takes his attention. It is progressive in the apparent sense.

At the same time though, the erosion of modernity in outlook worries him. Not to shed tears for peace and harmony being targeted by the neo-rich in the country, Chitre would have us take a position on the drift happening towards dogma. He appears to be a misfit in his surroundings that are pressed hard by the mighty in society.

By convention, an ode is a poem addressing a particular person, season or place. The ode is lyrical and might be sung. It does not follow a particular meter or rhyme scheme and is irregular in pattern. It is made a poem by the tone the poet adopts or a picture and image the poet uses to communicate something important for the benefit of the listener. That description is wholly sustained by the “Ode to Bombay” in which the city with the name Bombay is spoken to.

The poet speaker is the observer and has the city in front of him which engages him and binds him to the place. The poem begins with the writer making the statement “I had promised you a poem before I died.” Metaphor of death in ‘Ode to Bombay’ The tone is personal. The question arises, why the poet brings in the theme of death in the opening line? See the queries arising from the mention of death. Is the poem precisely about death that may apply to the poet, and by association to the city as well? If we move to the third line, we note that the writer refers to his own dead feet and releases the city (you) from there.

The sole purpose is to share with the city the loss of quality suffered by the speaker. It is not a simple poem. The word that comes to mind about the piano is a conscious selection of the details of the picture. It poses problems. For instance, the piano has black keys but the poet has turned that into blackness. To complicate it further, diamonds are shown as storming out piece by piece.

The link of concerto with the piano is logical—the instrument gives out a musical composition with the poet’s silence being its medium. Once again though, the help is offered by the poet as silence has a close affinity with death. Indeed, one might call the first stanza entirely devoted to the subject of death through a metaphor that is extended further to cover a whole variety of details in the city’s life. Those are—bridges, bones, railway lines, dismantling of tenements or small structures keeping company with temples, where people go to worship, and to brothels that symbolize carnal pleasure. Imagine the vast range of the first stanza and likewise of the city under view. All this is achieved through deployment of the metaphor of death.

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