Author- KR Shyam Sundar
Publishers- BlueRose Publishers
Publication date- 2nd August 2021
Genre- Poetry
Blurb– The book is a collection of poems in both English and a few in Tamizh. As the title goes, the book deals with a vast range of emotions ranging from anger, sorrow, pain, happiness and love. These emotions are brought out by poems that are simple yet complicated and philosophical. With a touch of contemporary style of poetry, the book deals with so many things that happen in our life. As much as it talks about life, it also deals with spirituality and bhakti.
Review– The poems in this collection are grouped under seven main groups, each dealing with a different context leggi l’articolo completo. The very first section of the book caught my attention. It consists of only two poems which are dedicated to his wife, daughter and his mother. The love he holds for them is obvious as his collection begins with his heartfelt emotions for them.
The poems in the second section are so romantic and sensuous. It beautifully crafts the everyday realities of people who lead a romantically healthy relationship. Sometimes we compare love and lust that we often forget how they both are equally present and important. The small, intimate details that move beyond the idea of “body” is what the poet explores in this section. It would be very relatable for people who have started dating or people who have invested years in a relationship. As much as relatability is a major factor, the idea of confessing one’s desires for someone is a recurrent theme under every poem of this section. Well, I can’t deny that it was interesting.
The next section is a collection of a set of sophisticated poems that cannot be so true. It will throw you back to times you thought something was happening, you overthink it and you make an impulsive decision. Only later would you know that what you thought happened hadn’t happened at all. Life is very tricky but not his poems. It beautifully explores the “disappointments, ironies, shocks and insults”. It blatantly points out that as humans we are innately flawed with minds that can build imaginary situations and defect us from the path we ought to take. It might be complicated but complication is what makes life. If you notice carefully you will see the undertone of sarcasm. Oh it runs like a river! Some poems are heavy laden with sarcasm and yet so true that you will be conflicted between laughing and analysing it. Some poems have other implications which might require close reading but as far as the main idea is concerned it remains stable and clear.
“Scribblings on Social Issues” traverses through societal issues, expectations and norms that pose threats to life itself. Things like poverty, the hardships of labourers, the economical situation of our country and lives are discussed and questioned through poetical verses. This also goes on to show how much our landscape of life is scarred by things beyond our reach. Whether the poet sounds hopeful or not is a big question. But we can predict that he is trying to establish a sense of awareness towards how we have to stand up for each other for social issues like these not to exist at all. Poems that are spiritually inclined are a mixture of Budddhist teachings and his yearning to seek divine love. There is also a trace of philosophy. It is quite evident how he had led philosophy seep into some of his spiritual poems yet he had distinguished them separately.
The next section is my favourite. This arises from my bias as a Tamizhlian. I was utterly taken aback by how the poet enclosed poetry in his mother tongue, something that is to be retained and celebrated. He brings back all his themes and blends it with his language, a language that lies in the deep burrows of his heart.
The poetry in this collection is an amalgamation of so many things. The poems that talked about love always had a female subject which incites in me a curiosity and shows how some poets find their muse in other people. Apart from that, his poems talk about the endless cycle of life, death and suffering and the overwhelming presence of the sense of identity. We need poetry that sparks that unquenchable fire in us and in my opinion, this book does.
Rating- 4.5/5
Favourite lines
“dry her mouth was,
the shine on her face faded.
Some English magazines, she mentioned
she read.
Disappointment written large on my face.
I left her in a huff.
Fool I was,
now I realize.
Marriage is not a University!
Too late, as usual!”
- Wrong Ideas as Ever
