KOHIMA, OCTOBER 18: Beloved, a collection of poems authored by senior journalist Kopelo Krome was released at De Oriental Grand, Kohima on October 18.
Penned during the late ’80s and early ’90s, Beloved consists of poems that were written mostly with thoughts of the Nagas who had “endured and experienced unaccountable sufferings and incidents during the last many unforgivable and unforgettable decades because of the evil forces against the peace and freedom loving Nagas”.
Enlightening the gathering on the journey behind Beloved, Krome said that he used to pen down his thoughts for his personal consumption but everything changed after the assassination of his brother Zekope Krome on August 15, 1987, at Kohima.
“Ever since this incident, I started writing seriously from time to time even though it may be just a couple of lines”, he said.
Krome also noted that a reader may wonder why the book is rife with protest and lamentations; and explained that it was because of the illusions, disappointments, frustrations and betrayals which he had experienced over the course of his life.
Gracing the occasion as special guest was MLA Khriehu Liezietsu, a friend of the author since their schooling days.
He shared that Krome is someone who is not only creative but also speaks from his heart and is a great storyteller.
He also expressed hope that the readers will be enthralled by the experience of author which has been accumulated over the years.
Proprietor of PenThrill Publication Rita Krocha said that the book has been long overdue. She said that it was in one of the meetings of Kohima Press Club some years ago when Krome, who was serving as the President then, showed his works which were neatly typed on a typewriter.
“Briefly scanning through his work, I was already convinced that it was an important work of art”, Krocha remarked.
The author has lived and experienced the time where the long-protracted Naga political issue was in its most volatile stage. Most of the poems were penned down in the late ’80s and early ’90s based “on the unimaginable things that most children of today would have absolutely no idea about”.
Beloved is PenThrill’s 43rd publication.
About the author
Kopelo Krome began his journalistic career as an Associate Editor at Oking Times Newsweekly during 1985-86 and was instrumental in the Nagaland chapter of the North East Sun Magazine published at New Delhi in the 1990s. From working as an editorial member of the North East Herald (Daily) in the early part of 2000, Krome was also the Founding Editor of Youth Avenue (Newsweekly) and a founding member of Kohima Press Club, where he went on to serve as President from 2012-2014. He has since been an Advisor to the Club. When he is not reading and writing, Krome loves to travel.
(Page News Service)
