. . . Today, this is a poetry conference. Poets and writers have gathered here. Poets, writers, musicians are messengers who bring to people the message from the realm of joy and beauty. Thats why they are pride of human civilization. The human thirst for joy and beauty is eternal. Just as a person feels hunger for food, so he does feel thirst for beauty. . . . The poets are there to quench the thirst of the non-poets. The demand for the beauty dimension of life coexists with the ordinary needs of peoples life. One day I observed a person returning from the market while holding a hen in one hand and some Tuberose (Rojonigondha) flowers in the other. I complimented him saying , "I have never seen such a combination of Fair and Fowl (foul) together!"
The duty of delivering the cup of beauty-ambrosia is on the shoulders of poets and writers. Lot of hardship and suffering the writers face in this path, but they must not be afraid. People dont have enough break just to feed themselves. Through growing trees and paddy (rice), people turn acres and acres into plantation, but how many undertake cultivation of roses? It is even more unfortunate that the thirst for the beauty is so scanty among the educated ones of this land. Its no wonder that the poet-writers of this land have to struggle so much in their life. But lets not despair. The blows of pain must be welcomed with the visit of joy. The life and works of the poets and writers are like Lotus (Shotodol). Each of its petals has bloomed due to the strike of such pain and suffering.
I vividly remember my great feeling and realization of this one day in life. My son passed away. My heart was broken by the deep sadness at this loss. Right then Hasna-Hena (a flower) bloomed in my house. I smelled the fragrance of those Hasna-Hena to my hearts delight. Thats the way to enjoy life thats living a full life. I have cherished the experience of this very kind of life. My poetry and music have emanated from my life experience. I sang with the rhythm of life these are the expressions of that rhythm. Whether my poetry and music are great or mediocre, I dont know. But I want to state emphatically I have lived my life fully. I have never dreaded pain or suffering. I have dived into the ocean waves of life.
I was the first in my class. The headmaster had great hope that I would bring more honor to the school, but the world war of Europe came along. One day I saw people going to war. I also joined a platoon. I went to Chattogram, saw the sea, and I thoroughly enjoyed my life by diving into it. One day a policeman aimed his pistol at my forehead, while standing right in front of me, and said, "I can kill you." I exclaimed: "Friend! Indeed, I have been searching for death all along." . . .
[Excerpts from an address "Shwadhin-Chittotar Jagoron", given in 1940 in Calcutta Eid gathering of Bongio Musalman Shahitto Shomiti. Nazrul Rochonaboli, Vol. 4, 1996, p. 115.]