Who publishes English poetry in India?

Adil Jussawalla, poet and critic, asks who published English poetry in India then (1950s to 1980s) and who does so now.

But let's talk, once again, not about who reads poets but who publishes them. Between 1952 and 1982, Nissim Ezekiel brought out seven books of poems. How many people know that he paid for five of them to be published? Agha Shahid Ali paid for his first two books to be published. So did Suniti Namjoshi and Meena Alexander. Gopal Honnalgere was not alone in having to pay for practically all his nine books.

My point in mentioning a few names from a long list — it includes me — is not to single them out as pathetic examples of what the public calls "vanity publishing", but to show that such a form of publishing has been vital to the survival and growth of many of our best-known poets.

After all, the marketing possibilities of Indian fiction in English changed after Midnight's Children, but not those, perceptibly, of poetry. The publishing scene here would be inconceivable and greatly impoverished if poets didn't have to publish themselves. So would the history of Indian poetry in post-Independence India.

It's quite likely, for instance, that Arun Kolatkar's Jejuri, now a New York Review of Books classic, would have remained an uncollected poem-sequence, like The Boatride, available only in anthologies, had not a group of poets formed Clearing House in the mid-seventies.

If my claim sounds bizarre, consider this: Those who gain from this state of affairs, apart from poets, are those who believe that poetry doesn't sell for our big publishers. The anthologies they publish are filled with work that first saw the light of day in books they rejected as bad investments, but which, when used selectively in anthologies, brought them steady profits. Isn't it time publishers changed their line from 'Poetry doesn't sell' to 'Poetry doesn't sell but somehow the poetry we publish in our anthologies sells very well indeed?'

Comments

[Sumita Misra]

Exactly. I have been writing poetry for the last 20 odd years and have been published in the Statesman on a few occassions. But somehow, there is no publisher for Poetry ( I write in English and Urdu) in the country. Its either "Poetry doesn't sell" or "we don't publish poetry" or "you pay, we will print" . Its been two years now, but no progress. Any pointers ?

[Gangesh Mishra]

Just try this option.
visit www.abcpress.in

[Manish]

And how much does it cost to publish a book of poetry?

[sunanda]

I would like to know how is one paid for simple proses ?
Reagrds
Sunanda

[Prof Murali Sivaramakrishnan]

Yes, I cannot disagree with this. We speak a great deal of poetics and theory in our class rooms and read fiction and non fiction as part of our syllabus, evaluate student dissertations on fiction writers and theorists. But poetry sadly poetry stands completely neglected. The roots of our imagination perhaps are drying out. Worse is the case with publishing: I have three volumes that fortunately have been selling well. I am on the look out for the fourth and fifth. Strangely enough many of my poems are run in journals and reviewed well-- but who wants to purchase a volume of poetry?

[Gopi Kottoor]

shall we form a poetry cooperative, publishing a 250 copy edition each ? Are there takers /

Gopi kottoor, Editor, Poetry Chain.

[PUSHKAR BISHT]

Dear Sir,

I am a poet. I want to know about poetry publishing. I want to get my poetry published. Pls advise me in this regard.

Thanks

Pushkar

[PUSHKAR BISHT]

My email id is [email protected]

[Anuradha Sharma]

I want to get my book of poems published. Poems are posted on stephengillgazett, canada, voicenet and muse india. Who can help me?

[Manmeet Singh]

My son Harshdeep singh want to get his english poems publish. he is ninth std., toper in school and his Poems are really good and we hope, all the teenager will like this.We want to know that who can help us in this regards, and what is the procedure because we don't have enough resources for that.

Manmeet Singh

[Karunesh]

www.cyberwit.net

Poetry Publisher

[Thara D'Souza]

I want to know about poetry publishing plz assist

thara

[Shalini]

Sir,
I have nearly 50-60 poems and would like to get it published, am staying in chennai (India), i have tried calling many publishers but no one is ready to publish poetry, can u suggest me some ideas regarding publishing or publisher..
Thank you

[akash sangwan]

hi
sir i m akash and i m having a delved urge of writing poetry and to analyse if they bear life or do they breath, can u help with the same by providing guidance for publishing my e mail id:[email protected]
regards akash sangwan
thanx

[Account Deleted]

Cyberwit is for poets who want to publish their poetry. Our published Anthologies and Journal Taj Mahal Review have poems that are sensuous, picturesque and impassioned. The poems reveal a fine combination of human elements of romance and the mystic & everyday realities.

Cyberwit has published a myriad of new poets, and an increasingly large number of collections of verse. The significance of Poetry has not declined, and the 21st century seems to be the Golden Era of English Poetry. The name of Cyberwit is known to readers in several countries.

http://cyberwit.net/index.htm

http://cyberwit.net/book.htm

[Account Deleted]

Cyberwit publishes poems in English, some truly literary gems which might otherwise be unknown. We publish Poetry Anthology and Literary Journal to enhance poetic sensibilities.

http://cyberwit.net/index.htm

http://cyberwit.net/book.htm

[Dr. Sakti P. Chakravorty and Ms. Nivedita UK]

Dear Sir,
May we draw your kind attention that we want to publish our poems thro’ your publishing house. We know it well that manuscript required to be submitted to you. But it is difficult for us because of our poor alchemical infrastructure.

Please browse our web
http://www.poemhunter.com/dr-sakti-p-chakravorty/
http://esspeecee.blogspot.com
http://www.poemhunter.com/ms-nivedita-bagchi-spc-uk/

If any thing positive comes out of you editor-ing [wholesome than editing] please give us feedback and oblige.
Regards
Dr. Sakti P. Chakravorty
Ms. Nivedita Bagchi UK
Date: 14.01.10.

[Account Deleted]

Does anyone know who publishes educational books on poems in India-- K-12 grades?

[rachna sheh]

I am looking for a good publisher to publish my poetries. I am writing since i was 11years old.. I write in English language..

[sundya raj]

hope this helps a lot for upcoming poets

[sundya raj]

I have a passion of writing poems and waiting for a publisher so please guide me

[Dr Biswambhar Dash]

I am a Physician by profession and a writer and poet too. Many of my collections of short stories and novels have been published in my mother tongue (Oriya language).I compose poems in English mostly on social values, blind beliefs and child abuse.I am interested to publish my poems. My poems are regularly posted in some of the poetry websites in USA and UK and are highly acclaimed by reviewers and readers.I have never tried earlier for this purpose thinking that no publisher would take a risk of publishing poems of a new unknown poet.

[Firoj Attar]

I want to get my poems published

[Mohit.K.Misra]

Sadly the name of poetry has been ruined with time with not mediocre but terrible poetry being published. Of course these books dont sell and so publishers have now stopped publishing poetry because its not commercially viable.
Then on the other hand good poetry by the enlightened ones will sell for thousands of years as they defy time and permeate with the essence of god.Poetry originates from India the Holy Vedas the most ancient spiritual text and many other masterpieces like the Ramayana, Bhagwat Gita,Guru Granth Sahib etc have been written in poetry the most condensed and highest form of philosophy possible only by the enlightened ones as it is considered as a mental exercise of the highest order something an unenlightened one cannot do.

My book Ponder Awhile is very highly ranked internationally over Rabindranath Tagore in English poetry and Inspirational and Religious poetry and I am still trying to get published by a good publisher.If we want to progress then poetry should be published on merit on not by contacts or connections as is presently done.

I believe the poetry standard in English is currently pathetic in the country.

Best Book buys Poetry Book Rankings from 84,824 books
http://www.bestwebbuys.com/Poetry-books.html

1.The Gardener Spanish Rabindranath Tagore
4.Ponder Awhile by Mohit.K.Misra

Inspirational and Religious poetry from 4,704 bookshttp://www.bestwebbuys.com/Poetry-Inspirational_and_Religious-books.html

1.Ponder Awhile by Mohit.K.Misra

English Poetry Books from 70,782 books
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2.Ponder Awhile by Mohit.K.Misra

[debasis biswal]

dear sirs
I have such beautiful poem I want to publish it ,but due to some moneytary problem I cannot publish it.please guide me
Debasis Biswal