"You may become an ex-PM but never an ex-Poet,” Atalji apparently quipped at one time. It’s simplistic to separate the poet and the politician of his persona. The fact is that they walked in tandem. Both poetry and politics were an indelible part of his consciousness. He was not a recluse poet. He may have enjoyed his moments of solitude but he kept his poetry connected with the spirit of the times. Many people say that the Poet dominates his Politician, but that would be a unidimensional assumption. He is much more than a Poet, much more than a Politician. In fact, he strongly believed that poets and writers would only enrich politics.If you notice, in a poem, he may have started on a low or despondent note but he sought to surpass that. Classically, a poet necessarily mayn’t resolve an issue, just simply share the angst or ignite a realization. Atal Bihari Vajpayee didn’t just share his pain or an observation or experience, he tried to find meaning in it and was conscious of the fact that he can’t leave one suspended, so he held the reader’s or listener’s hand and pointed towards a direction, a resolution.Somehow, I have felt that the hope in his poetry has a unique tenor, a kind of a responsible hope. He may not have, as an individual, felt particularly hopeful at a given time, but he felt responsible to transmit hope, for the larger good.He would have written poems like a poet would, but in many places, one can see the reflections of the political responsibilities he carried, he was mindful that he was talking to the nation. Let’s not forget he could not be like an activist poet or point fingers at the system or tarnish the power structure. He also was the power, he was also the system. And this aspect put him in a tight spot. But I have always believed that such are the unique vantage points of life, such are the authentic voices which reflect a complex artistic life tenor.So, if there is a dilemma, a contradiction, a tension found in his thought, it makes Atalji’s poetry a lot more unique. I was fortunate enough to have spent time with him, hearing him recite some of his work, and also more fortunate to have him recite words written by me in speeches on some key events. His warm hug post hearing the words: “suraj ko main nigal gaya” (I swallowed the sun) in my song 'Roobaroo', is one my most cherished memories.To carry the tradition of hope forward, I instinctively penned down some thoughts as a tribute, based on one of my personal favorite poems written by Atalji –

Stay updated with all the Delhi Latest News headlines here. For more exclusive & live news updates from all around India, stay connected with NYOOOZ.