The poems included in Taj Mahal Review, (December 2003) explore a great variety of topics. We find nothing doubtful or pessimistic in several poets, who seem to dwell in the infinite realm of spirit. On the other hand, some poets included in Taj Mahal Review criticize the new dictatorship of materialism over the soul, the cruel values of globalized world, full of people who have become "nothing but naked, eternally restless minds." Many poems in Taj Mahal Review have the subtle appeal of music. The poets appear to be influenced by Aristotle's maxim: "Think like a wise man, but express like the common people." The short stories reveal deft characterization and plot construction marked by psychological intensity. TMR also contains Reflections, Book Reviews, and a separate 23 page section providing biographical details of each author. TMR is beautifully bound, a journal that will compare favorably with several international publications, since it has been designed and produced after a careful copy-editing.

I will not serve that in which I no longer believe whether I call itself my home, my fatherland or my church, and I will try to express myself in some mode of life or act as freely as I can and as wholly as I can, using for my defence the only arms I allow myself to use- silence, exile and cunning.

 --James Joyce (1882-1941), A Portrait of the Artist as a Young
                    Man, Ed. by Seamus Deane, Penguin, p. 268-269.      

From The Editor 

Welcome to Taj Mahal Review, December 2003! May every day of this New Year bring you Happiness, Love and Prosperity. Happy New Year! I'm greatly indebted to all the authors, who with their subscription and friendliness made this issue number four possible. Here are several poetic voices trying to unravel "the burthen of the mystery, the heavy and the weary weight Of all this unintelligible world." The multiple ways connect these poets, short-story tellers and essayists together. A global feel with artists around the world .It is my earnest hope that the impulses, desires, a few admonitions, some brilliant, acute observations will surely comfort our world tormented by the insolence of violence, terrorism, "the whips and scorns of time." Again, I offer my sincere thanks and obligation to the generous artists, who through their kind donations and subscriptions helped us in bringing out this issue.

SANTOSH KUMAR
 Editor