Indian English poetry and its yield after 1980, is different. It is no longer an east-west conflict. Years after 1980 signify an entirely fresh elegiac scenario – a little nostalgic also. A predilection for religious doctrines figures out life as a transcendental reality while metaphysical inquiries disturb. No obvious signs regarding narrow religious mind sadden but secular and universal qualities surface. Poetry reveals religious, psychological, philosophical-existential identity and contemporary disquiet in amiable phrase. Poets of seventies and eighties with strong rural background hold adequate experience of urban life, and stressful city-woes with freshness in ennui and monotony of urbanity frighten and drive to rational and meditative thoughts. To locate identity and roots distresses bards as onerous past and contemporary void ironically haunt like a lethal specter of disillusion, death and consequential vainness.

            H. S. Bhatia, O. P. Arora, T. V. Reddy,R. K. Bhushan, D. C. Chambial, Manas Bakshi, Pashupati Jha, P. Raja, K. V. Raghupathi, Arbind Kumar Choudhury, P. Gopichand and P. Nagasuseela are included in the present anthology. They underline poetic characteristics of the age, and speak of man and society with understanding and empathy.  

An author of more than fifty books in English and Hindi, P C K Prem (P C Katoch of Garh-Malkher, Palampur, Himachal, a former academician, civil servant and Member PSC HP, Shimla) post-graduated in English literature from Punjab University, Chandigarh in 1970, taught English in various colleges before shifting to civil services, and now, is associated with many social/literary organizations. He has brought out nine volumes of poetry besides five books on criticism in Hindi and English. He is a poet, novelist, short story writer and critic in English from Himachal Pradesh.