A son leaves behind his old mother to make his fortune in another city. He returns a rich man, but his mother has died. He goes into a state of depression and finally succumbs to his guilt. The poem, Salvation Creek, is one of the 20 written by Adhish Mazumder, a student of medical biotechnology at Sikkim Manipal Institute of Medical Sciences. The compilation, Versed with Life (Mark-Age Publishers), was launched at ICCR recently.

“Salvation Creek remains my favourite. My mother had wanted me to write about the sacrifice of so many parents who are often forgotten in the end,” said Adhish, a former student of The Assembly of God Church School, Park Street. The poems in his first book are all real-life experiences faced by people known to him.

Juggling a gruelling academic schedule and his passion was not easy. Adhish would write when others slept. “That’s when friends would confide in me their problems and I would counsel them. Such experiences enriched my verses,” said Adhish, who is most inspired by Robert Frost and the sonnets of William Shakespeare.

Beauty of nature and the problems of modern society are the budding writer’s best teacher. Studying in Sikkim aided the poetic journey. “The scenic beauty here soothes your mind and helps you think clearly. Every tree has a new story to tell. Even the names of lovers and friends etched on bamboo shoots have often fired my imagination,” he added.

The Hooghly boy is also working on a novel and while he aspires to a career in research and development, he hopes to continue writing all his life.

Chandreyee Ghose