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In 1976 Satendra Nandan published a slender volume of poems, Faces in a Village, It was the first book of poetry in English published in Fiji. Since then his Voices in the River (1983) and Lines Across Black Waters (1977) have also appeared. In The Loneliness of Islands, poems published in the earlier volumes are collected together with new poems. Perhaps more than his fiction, critical or autobiographical writings, these poems reflect the growth of a poetic sensibility shaped by childhood memories of his girmitya grandparents in an obscure village in the Pacific Ocean, adjoining Nadi international airport. He has lived through parliament, coups, migration, exile and return - a variety of experience is refracted through the individual voice of a poet, who was born in Fiji and has lived and studied in India, England and Australia, countries of the mind which have shaped his writing and distinctive subjectivity. --Back cover.
A poet's life experiences are distilled into verse, reflecting a unique subjectivity shaped by memory, migration, and multiple cultures. Nandan's collected poems trace the evolution of his poetic voice, drawing deeply from childhood recollections of his grandparents in a Fijian village. The collection navigates themes of displacement, exile, and return, filtering these experiences through an individual perspective forged by his life across Fiji, India, England, and Australia.
This collection gathers poems spanning thirty years of Satendra Pratap Nandan's career, offering a comprehensive look at his developing poetic voice. The poems are noted for their deep connection to his Fijian roots and childhood memories, interwoven with his experiences of living and studying across different continents. The work reflects a unique subjectivity shaped by migration and cultural influences, presenting a personal yet universally resonant perspective on identity and belonging. The collection serves as a significant representation of English-language poetry from Fiji.
Page Count:
241
Publication Date:
2007-01-01
Publisher:
Ivy Press International
ISBN-10:
9823660158
ISBN-13:
9789823660158
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