Poet Nilim Kumar leafs through a book

Guwahati, Oct. 13: Poetry, William Wordsworth had said, is “the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings: it takes its origin from emotion recollected in tranquillity.”

Can poetry writing, then, be taught?

“Why not?” asks national award-winning Assamese poet Nilim Kumar, who is all set to open what may well be the first “poetry writing school” in the country.

“I don’t know if any such school exists in other countries but there is none in India. The idea came to my mind when I began receiving numerous queries from people all over the state on how to write the perfect line or stanza,” Kumar told The Telegraph.

A trendsetter in Assamese poetry, Kumar attained cult status among literature lovers early in his career.

He first shot into the limelight with his poem Aprajanan in 1994. And then there was no looking back.

A recipient of several national awards, he also has had the honour of having his poems translated into several Indian languages, as well as French.

Many have tried to ape his breezy and brazen style, but no one has succeeded in portraying the modern-day sensibilities like Kumar.

“My idea is to set up a school where poetry will be taught and discussed by some of the finest poets. My emphasis is to make the students aware about the importance of knowing the basic grammar and meter of poetry before writing poems,” said the winner of the Uday Bharati national award for poetry.

He admitted that his idea has roused scepticism in fellow poets.

“But if we can have schools for music, dance, painting, sculpture...what is wrong in having a poetry school?” asks Kumar.

“Even some well-known and veteran poets commit silly mistakes at times. Honing the skills is necessary to make the art perfect.”

Kumar has to his credit a unique “poetry session” where he had taught 80 aspiring poets on the sandy banks of the Brahmaputra last year.

The poet is now planning to set up the school on the outskirts of the city. It will almost be like a mini-village, with cottages for both teachers and students to stay.

A huge library, with an enviable collection of books on world poetry is also part of his dream project. “I have several other plans to introduce in my dream project, once the school starts functioning. But finance is a big hurdle. Hopefully, I will tide over these problems with help from like-minded people and the state government,” said Kumar, who is also a physician.