Hope and Despair – A Collection of Poems | Austin Macauley Publishers

Violence, a pandemic and climate change had led to continued human suffering in the recent decades. Turbulence all around the world has hit everyone on the planet, from those who were alive at the time of the trenches of WW1, to those born in ‘Coronavirus’ times. One young mind deeply disturbed by the current events resorted to writing poetry to express his feelings about the worsening current world situation. Sohan started writing about human suffering from the age of seven, after which poetry became his medium of expression of his feelings, his frustration at the past, his worries about the present, and his fears of the future. Enter a teenager’s mind full of random thoughts, printed in black and white, on topics ranging from past wars to current climate affairs, from things as deep as the mental suffering faced in lockdown to the simple beauty in a painting in this anthology Hope and Despair – A Collection of Poems.

Sohan Das is an emerging author with a flair for the creative arts evident from a young age, taking up writing, alongside music, as his medium of expression. At the tender age of 7 his first piece of literary work, a letter from the perspective of a WW2 evacuee, was published in a school magazine. More recently, his poem Trenches won first prize in the writing section of the St Albans Legacy project celebrating the World War I centenary and he has had poems published in two different anthologies by Young Writers, UK. He published his first novella Armnesia at the age of 15.

Sohan wrote this collection of poems between the age of 10 and 15 to express his hopes and despair about current world affairs.

Customer Reviews

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Shubhayu Roy Chowdhury

"Hope and Despair: A Collection of Poems" by Sohan Das is a captivating literary journey that masterfully captures the essence of our tumultuous times. In an era marked by violence, pandemics, and the looming specter of climate change, Das's poetry serves as a poignant mirror reflecting the spectrum of human emotions in response to these challenges.

From the ink of this young poet flows a river of emotions, from the raw frustration of the past to the immediate concerns of the present, and the uncertainties that cloud our future. Das began his poetic odyssey at a tender age, allowing readers a glimpse into his evolution as a writer as he navigates these profound topics.

Through his verses, Das has deftly woven together a tapestry of experiences—ranging from the collective traumas of past wars to the quiet introspections prompted by the lockdowns of the pandemic era. Each poem is a window into the mind of a teenager grappling with the intricacies of our world, and it is this genuine, unfiltered perspective that makes the book so compelling.

"Hope and Despair" doesn't merely present the reader with poetry; it invites them to join a reflective journey through the author's thoughts, fears, and hopes. As we read, we find ourselves resonating with the shared human experience—the highs and lows, the darkness and light. The poems are a testament to the resilience of the human spirit, encapsulating the essence of both hope and despair that we encounter in our lives.

This book is not just a collection of poems; it's a mirror that reflects our shared reality, an emotional compass pointing towards empathy, understanding, and self-discovery. In a world where chaos seems to reign, Sohan Das's voice emerges as a beacon of thoughtful contemplation.

"Hope and Despair: A Collection of Poems" is a literary gem that everyone must read. It reminds us of the power of poetry to transcend time and circumstance, bridge gaps, and foster connections. Through the author's words, we find solace, recognition, and ultimately, a call to action—to acknowledge the challenges that define our age and work towards a future that encompasses both hope and resilience.

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