International poetry anthology CAPITALS launched at Jaipur Lit Fest

CAPITALS - a poetry anthology on 185 capital cities of the world edited by poet-diplomat Abhay K. was jointly launched by British poet Ruth Padel, American poet and director of the International Writing Programme at the University of Iowa Christopher Merrill, Indian poet and novelist Tabish Khair and the Head of Bloomsbury India Rajiv Beri at the Jaipur Literature Festival yesterday.

Ruth Padel read her poem on Damascus and a poem by Gwen Burnyeat on Asuncion. Speaking on the occasion, she underlined the tradition of poet-diplomats such as George Seferis from Greece and Pablo Neruda from Chile who have made great contributions to the world of poetry and termed poet-diplomat Abhay K. as a continuer of this long-standing tradition.

Tabish Khair read his poem on Copenhagen narrating an experience of an Asian immigrant in a European city. Christopher Merrill read his poem on Algiers and expressed his great satisfaction on completion of such a unique poetry anthology that creates a poetic portrait of the capital cities of our planet.

"I created this anthology because I could not find poems on the capital cities I frequently visit," said Abhay K. while speaking at the book launch.

He added the goal of the anthology is to bring together poets of all continents to help the readers see the world in a refreshing way through the eyes of the world's leading poets and to take them to places one has never been to. He read his poems on Dilli, Buenos Aires and Mbabne-Lobamba.

Abhay K. is the author of the Seduction of Delhi and was awarded SAARC Literature Award 2013. His Earth Anthem has been translated into 28 langueses.

CAPITALS will be launched in Delhi on January 27 at the India International Centre at an event organized by the Poetry Society of India. Abhay K. will read from CAPITALS at the Sahitya Akademi, the National Academy of Letters of India.