Nepali Visions, Nepali Dreams: The Poetry of Laxmiprasad Devkota

Although the tradition of serious literature in Nepal extends back several centuries, most of Nepal's major literary works have been written since World War I. This comparatively young literature reached full maturity in the work of Laxmiprasad Devkota (1909--1959), who wrote in all the principal genres of prose and verse, treating contemporary issues, themes from Sanskrit epic and drama, and subjects from Greek mythology including Prometheus and Circe. At the time of his death, Devkota left behind an immense body of work, much of it unpublished, some of it lost, and some apparently plagiarized by other poets. Untangling many of the ambiguities surrounding the composition of Devkota's poetry, Nepali Visions, Nepali Dreams presents an extended essay on the poet's life and career, along with translations of forty-five poems ranging from short lyrics to lengthy philosophical and satiric works. David Rubin has drawn upon published works currently in print, privately published works , and poems existing solely in the pages of elusive Nepali literary journals to present the first collection in English of Devkota's complex, vigorous poetry.