Vikram Seth, the global poet, novelist, and journalist visited many modern cities in Asia and Europe. He observed the modern culture in his travel. A large number of Indian poets had been writing in English poetry. Vikram Seth’s writing skill, his own propelled emotions, and feelings are being not conventional but modern. The poet has explored the various parts of love and márriage in this poem, the theme is love but there is variation as in music. The lovemaking either in ancient or modern is the prime source of inspiration and supreme joy of life.
“Perhaps like an aging couple. We do not
Even kiss goodnight yet wake to ….. In my
mind.”
Nature emerges as the teacher of man. Poets and artists can learn from Nature, the value of patience as far as art is concerned.
The little-piece “A little distance” depicts action and gesture, a self-contained, self-satisfaction mood of sensuous luxury. The image of the sea-shore, a swimming pool, waterfall, sunbathing brings to the poet a sense of sensuous relaxation, warm intoxication inspires the lover. The lovers are whiling away their time unrest and unknown fear that such love-work might entail social born leading to social union.
Amid the luscious and arresting scenes of nature, they have enjoyed the sumptuous feast of the set of pines with gusto and charm. And herein lies the hilarious appeal of this poem. The unknown fear of the lovers is that such a bond of togetherness might entail social union leading to marriage.
Quest for love, or rather the failure to find emotional fulfillment through love, is the central theme of the poetry. His poetry is unconventional and shocking to the orthodox, for his treatment of sexual love and the human body is free, frank and uninhibited. Mr. Vikram Seth was unconventional and not orthodox In his life, and is equally unconventional in his poetry. The two friends matured in age know how to develop a friendship in a proper way. So it is a beautiful poem per excellence.