A collection of poems and vignettes

In May 2005, Kalam: Margins Write, a creative writing programme for marginalized youth, started working with five teens at Malda railway station. Over a period of five months, Kalam sat and ‘worked poetry with these guys. Despite our demanding schedules, we managed to get together quite often to sit, find and write the poetry hiding in our lives. This book is a collection of poems and vignettes from Bijoy Das, Manoj Mondol, Raju Chakraborty, Ratan Keshari and Suman Gon. These poems reveal an aspect of their identity that was once unknown to them and others, but is now an integral part of who they are – poets.

bijoy das Bijoy, 14, has crazy, funky hair except when he periodically decides to shave it. Bold and intelligent, Bijoy is a natural storyteller with a great sense of humour. He has earned a living through diverse experiences, from assisting truck drivers to selling water bottles and just recently, selling chai on the railways. Bijoy studies in his spare time and writes poetry. He is very proud of his identity as a poet.