Curfew Day's Poetry is essentially a political poetry book. Poet Tarun Yusuf defines the barricade between the state and the individual, leading our gaze toward a path where the individual, and for generations, loses their civic rights due to the arrogance of state power. This poetry collection by Tarun Yusuf thus becomes a political document of independent Bangladesh. The bloodshed we faced in 1971 seems never-ending. Even after independence, the greed of local exploiters to monopolize power continually disrupts our personal, familial, and societal lives. The most recent example of this is the July 2024 movement. Poet Tarun Yusuf depicts the suffocating and confined days of the July movement, as if the politically aware poet has deliberately trapped a document of our history on the pages of his book Curfew Day's Poetry.
Poet Tarun Yusuf's Curfew Day's Poetry is divided into three sections:
These three sections take the reader through the days of the July 24th movement to overthrow the autocracy. How blood-red Palash flowers bloom on the streets, why these red flowers sacrifice themselves in front of the ruler’s guns, and the answers to these questions are written on every page of Curfew Day's Poetry.
Even within the map of independent Bangladesh, the ordinary people have always lived a subhuman life under the rulers' negligence. The poet brings forth these failed, injured lives in the first section of his poetry collection, titled Songs of the Constrained Days. The poet includes 19 poems in this section. In each poem, the poet primarily reveals the chaotic thoughts of the citizens of a disillusioned state that has been crippled by exploitation.
"Sometimes I feel,
from the tallest building,
I should jump
to see how much more degenerate
the citizen has become."
(Disrupted Mind)
When the state becomes not a sanctuary for the citizen but an instrument of exploitation, the hopes, aspirations, and golden dreams of the individual are constantly trampled within this machine. The poet seems to perceive life as something degraded:
"Of late, I look around,
Everywhere is a life with a tucked tail,
And the sound of squeaking."
(Stray)
The poet sees through all the governmental deceptions. By analyzing the life lived, the poet realizes that, in the name of building civilization, human dreams are devoured by a monstrous state. Humans are caught in the machinery of the state, becoming victims of exploitation, and the state grows ever stronger by feeding on them.
"Therefore, civilization
is a jungle,
You and I
are the perfect food chain."
(Food Chain)
There is no song of joy here; it is as if a dirge is playing every day. In this monstrous, exploitative state, the poet feels that merely surviving has become a crime:
"Every day,
I wake up
to see life
as a death notice.
Among the ghosts and spirits,
surviving has become a gift,
a crime indeed."
(Ghost News)
When the state deceives the citizen, the poet can no longer feel safe within it. The poet declares, with a bitter smile, that this system can never be safe for humans. He challenges this system with the assertion that a state does not guarantee safety:
"We mistake the tiger for a deer,
just as we believe the state guarantees safety.
Having stripes doesn't make a tiger a deer,
And just because it's a state doesn't mean it's safe for the people."
(The Tiger and the State)
The very authorities whom the poet once entrusted with the responsibility of safety have robbed the people of all their dreams, hopes, and freedom:
"I thought of them as deities,
but when their mask comes off,
I see someone utterly vile."
(My Birth is an Eternal Lie)
Yet, the poet does not silently endure the betrayal of the state, nor do the citizens. The restless and rebellious hearts of the people lead them to the streets. This clear mark of resistance is found in the second section of the poet’s book.
New melodies of broken hope are created by each indigenous autocrat. The protests against these autocrats have manifested on the streets, in poetry, and in songs. The poetry written during the July 24th movement serves as evidence of this. With his pen, the poet ignites the powder of conscience.
"I checked thoroughly
this July,
We too can ignite
the fire of possibility."
(Ah, July)
The section titled Curfew Days contains sixteen poems. In the first poem of this section, poet Tarun Yusuf calls for resistance against fascist forces. During the curfew, he stirs the power of the oppressed citizens to break the state’s barricades. The poet challenges the arrogance of autocracy through his poetry. In the poems of this section, there is no tone of defeat but a resolve for courage and defiance.
The poet writes against those who do not join the march of resistance, who stand with the tyrannical state even on the day of national liberation:
"I open the door,
And see the so-called intellectual,
Grinning like a swine."
(In Exile)
The poet knows that death will come in this struggle. For the liberation of the nation, fresh blood will be shed on the streets. Still, the poet embraces this noble death, ready to draw the curtain on the curfew day:
"Born with the right to die,
What fear does death bring?"
(Unshaken)
Staring into the eyes of the oppressors, the poet speaks:
"I sit in hell,
While you show me
the fear of fire."
(Farce)
The poet asserts that there is no turning back when facing the oppressor. It is either death or a free country:
"No matter how much the oppression grows,
Now, fearing it is a crime,
Fearing it is sin."
(On the Bench of Time)
A true artist is one with a waking conscience, and poet Tarun Yusuf holds his pen with this awakened conscience in hand. His protest and fiery spirit shine through his art, displaying the true form of art. We believe that the historical significance of this documented art will continue to be important for the future. Curfew Day's Poetry stands as an unparalleled example of courage in placing art against oppression and the bloodshot gaze of the exploiter.
Fire Stone is the last section of the book. Comprising twelve poems, this section portrays the post-movement days of a newly liberated Bangladesh, still dealing with the scars left by the defeated autocrats. The poet reflects on the glory of the students’ self-sacrifice in the uprising, the wailing of lost loved ones, and the dream of building a free and prosperous nation.
After the victory in the struggle against autocracy, the poet now seeks peace, happiness, and prosperity. The weary soldier needs rest:
"Exhausted from the war,
Let's return to the barracks,
Lie together and gaze at the sky,
Or kiss each other."
(After the War)
Even after the movement, the victorious people cannot forget the tyrannical atrocities. The poet recalls those who were murdered, those who sacrificed their lives, whose blood stained the sacred soil of the land:
"Our victory
was stolen courage and bravery,
Yet it stands, Saeed resisted
with his chest bared."
(Upon Gaining a State)
Once again:
"The borders of our map
swing like the bodies of Falarni and Swarna,
The sorrowful corpses of these innocent girls,
They were once green and pure like grass!"
(Around the Map)
These lines indicate the untamed state, showing how domestic rulers, in their greed for power, turn a sovereign nation into a province of imperialist powers.
Yet, in the poet’s words, there is always hope for a brighter future:
"Will the fog ever lift?
Will the truth rise at dawn?
Inside my chest, Bangladesh
Burns like Fire Stone!"
(Fire Stone)
Curfew Day's Poetry was written during a turbulent political period in Bangladesh. Through his language, the poet consciously imbues human sensibility. Each prose poem is woven with a rhythmic coolness, creating a deep, thunderous impact while reading. This mastery of the craft undoubtedly enhances the poetic beauty of the work. Capturing reality in his poetry without losing the essence of artistry is something only a skilled poet can achieve, and poet Tarun Yusuf has done just that. In this collection, he skillfully merges language, emotion, and intellect into a parallel artistic style. His poems are replete with vivid imagery and brilliant use of irony.
In conclusion, poet Tarun Yusuf’s Curfew Day’s Poetry is not just "art for art’s sake," but "art for the sake of humanity." Through this collection, the politically conscious poet speaks of that dream, that truth, and that liberation—dreams that encourage us to aspire, truth that motivates us to stay true, and freedom that reminds us of the legacy of our independent Bangladesh.
Book Information: Curfew Day's Poetry
Genre: Poetry
Poet: Tarun Yusuf
Cover: Nirjhar Naishabdo
Publisher: Songjog
Pages: 64
Price: 250 BDT
Published: February 2025