Ruchka Ghulati: Five Things You Need To Write Powerful And Evocative Poetry

An Interview With Heidi Sander

WORDS. Your diction can define the tone of your poem and help to create the mood. Words can inspire, challenge, move, touch and intrigue. Use the right word for their meaning, their connotation, their sound. It’s the words that work as a guide to the feelings behind the poem. Know the right lingo. If using a thesaurus be mindful of the true meaning of the word.

Poetry is growing in popularity and millions of people spanning the globe have a renewed passion for embracing the creativity, beauty, and art of poetry. Poetry has the power to heal and we make sense of the world through the human expression of writing and reading. Are you wondering: What does it take to become a successful poet? What is the best medium and venue to release your poetry? What are some techniques to improve or sharpen your skills? In this interview series about how to write powerful and evocative poetry, we are interviewing people who have a love for poetry and want to share their insights, and we will speak with emerging poets who want to learn more about poetry either to improve their own skills or learn how to read and interpret better. Here, we will also meet rising and successful poets who want to share their work or broaden their audience, as well as poetry and literature instructors.

As a part of this series, I had the pleasure of interviewing Ruchka Ghulati.

Born with a wanderers heart she calls India her temporary abode. Is an errant solo traveller with a quest to visit places made famous in the yellowing pages of classic literature.

Her wandering companions are her painting journal, Lonely Planet and her keen eyes behind the lens. You may spy her sitting in obscure roadside cafes, with her nose in a book, furiously sketching, writing a little feeler for keepsakes or tracing aisles of vellichor. Catch her, dreamy eyed, as she delves into her love for writing. She reminisces- that she fell in love with books first. Classics lined the bookshelves at her childhood home and their dusty demeanour lured her curiosity. The sillage of leather-bound books, aged cellulose and sweet vanillin permeated her senses and the infatuation began. She was often seen taking a flight of fancy with a book in her hand. Also began her liaison with poesy albeit a fascination that did not diminish but got enhanced.

Furious progression took place from a book lover to a passionate logophile with a desire to express. Words enchanted her and she delved into them with a fervour. Reading dictionaries became a constant- a quirky aspect that has become quirkier. She has now graduated to a logomaniac.

Her father has been an influencer, a guide and an inspiration. He regaled every achievement. She credits her Alma Mater MGD School Jaipur, of the erstwhile Maharani Gayatri Devi fame and Padma Shri awarded, British educationist Miss L.G Lutter for giving her the values of life and her teacher Mrs Rao for nourishing her passion in Literature and Arts.

The die was cast- she pursued English Literature and Arts as both held her heart. Is armed with a Master in English literature, MBA in Marketing, Diploma in Advertising and Commercial Art.

Today a cedar bookshelf holds a pride of place with all her favourite books and the energy from it aglows on her mind. The quest to read, learn and write never paled, she self-studied psychology for complexities of human nature were always intriguing. It reflects metaphorically or stays underlying as a message in her writings.

Today she is active, indulgent and explorative on Instagram tracing her poetic journey and her various endeavours to render support in the community.

Has marked 2020 as “The Year of the Storm” in her calendar and tends to take many reflective pauses and embraces a constant reminder that the now is urgent and pertinent. A new lesson awaits each day and each day is a new day…

Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Before we dive into the main focus of our interview, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you share a story about what first drew you to poetry?

A tragic happenstance evoked my first poem, penned out of pure grief. I recall lucidly the morning I received the call, the azure sky did not reflect what was to befall nor did the auric rays say what tragedy was coming my way. Nature speaks but today it was masking all emotions.

The first few words from a mutual friend who by virtue of being wisdom defined was given the responsibility to be the harbinger. I am sure the task was daunting for being the bearer of bad tidings. She was sagacious and judicious. A simple greeting struggling out of the larynx.

“Hello”

Followed by a hurried

“She is no more.”

It’s sad how these lines have become so common during the pandemic. I dread the ping on my cell. Oh, I am digressing, but it’s the way the chain of thoughts go. The phone call just said that and I was expected to understand and strangely I did. What ensued was pregnant silence and multitude of thoughts, rushing, clashing, choking and then an inaudible.

“How?”

followed by more silence. Then the voice from the other end.

“Car accident.”

Some more silence as if to let it sink in. Then a hurried,

“I am sorry.”

“Sorry?” Fumbled out from a clogged throat questioning. Words felt utterly inadequate and the mind was screaming. It felt dead. Numbness, shock, tears and more tears. Till it drained my sleep and filled my Lachrymatory vase. She was, as current lingo goes, a BFF. An acronym that goes far, a treasured confidante, punching bag and sponge. It was the first real experience of grief and loss.

The days that followed are a blur. A thought that impacted was that no one understood the pain and expected you to move on- eat when not hungry, respond to the mundane talks with a choked voice. In short life goes on…I was 14 years old and life had to go on.. Emily Dickinson aptly decoded the mind. “I felt a funeral in my brain and then a plank in reason broke.” I was stricken. The untimely death left a deep void and many questions. I was thinking and feeling a certain way and felt a need to express these thoughts. Journaled tear-stained pages carrying pain found me. The poems “Numbness” and” Revisited” were written when I surfaced from the initial paralysis of loss and moved to acceptance. It’s difficult to fathom that you will never be able to see the person again and the mind searches for little memories to cling to with regrets riding on guilt. Below are fragments from two poems inked with lachrymose and tears.

“My mind as though of numbness born

My senses in a turmoil forlorn

I cannot but explain

The thoughts so torn”

(Wordsadrifting, Numbness)

〰

“It seemed just yesterday

Memories come flooding.

Who said

Time salves the wound

And draws a pall on what is dead.”

( Wordsadrifting, Revisited)

〰

It did not matter what was scribbled as feelings of strange solace seeped whenever I wrote. I had unknowingly discovered the cathartic value of writing and found that nature was a balm. Meditative walks, painting and sketching helped immensely. Thence was born the first micro poem and consequently the longer one. It coincided with the time of studying English Literature. This awakened a love for reading poetry and made me aware of latent writing skills, giving an impetus to the start of a poetic journey.

Can you tell us a bit about the interesting or exciting projects you are working on or wish to create? What are your goals for these projects?

What is your ikigai? The mind often questions and I find it has become more evident that I love writing and creating albeit with beauty and purpose. With that clarity, I have designed work life, home environment, encouraged certain hobbies, aligned social media platforms and initiated projects.

I am an aesthete and creativity is intrinsic to my nature. It led me to design homes, clothes, jewellery furniture and dabble in watercolours. Currently exploring the art of decoupage using multi mediums with an exciting project “Melange” planned with poetic inspirations. As a writer I have outlined targets in 2022.

My WIP

1: Novel in Prose and Verse (to be released in 2022)

2: Author my debut Poetry Book

3: Coffee Table Book of my artwork accompanied by poems

The poetry community at Instagram has given much love and I hope to return the smiles. A Founder @poetrysupportbybt- since its inception it’s been an endeavour to support poets, authors and artists. With a serious view of that, meticulous planning of projects is initiated monthly. September went towards creating awareness for World Alzheimer’s Day. 67 heart wrenching poems were penned by poets on Alzheimer’s and Dementia. It’s my wish to create an anthology of these poems and am looking with all humility for a publisher with a kind heart. October saw the Fall Lyrical Festival. Am delighted to say that over 134 poems were submitted on prompt lines from classic poets. The short-term goal achieved, encouraged the relaunch of a dedicated platform to bridge this lacuna. @lyrical.flair aims to encourage lyric poetry and form writing. It will host live streams, readings of classic poems, share prompts, feature poets and hold the fest every year with greater incentives to the writer.

Having coached and judged several times on Instagram made me realise how much I enjoy helping poets evolve. Which is not to take away anything from their own writing style but with a kind hope to add something. I still advocate that poets write in a way that is true to themselves. It however helps to be armed with literary techniques. @poeticfundas shares delicate nuances of poetry writing. Both the above projects were stalled earlier due to the pressures of pandemic life and hard learned lessons in fortitude.

In November, the platform had a “Writing Through Grief Week”, which was very gratifying with workshop giveaways to support the grieving. Future initiatives will likewise focus on philanthropic activities and continue to dip into creative ideas to render support.

Wonderful. Let’s now shift to the main focus of our interview. Let’s begin with a basic definition so that all of us are on the same page. What is your definition of poetry? Can you please share with us what poetry means to you?

Let me coin a definition that speaks to me and envelopes the vastness and richness poetry holds. Poetry is a chain of thoughts beautifully caught in a lyric motion of lingering words on lending ears. It’s a reflection of an individual’s perception, a weave of diction created with or without a structure depending on the creator’s inclination and inspiration. It may be fictitious or real, based on truth or mystery. Just about anything that the poet is inspired to pen upon.

What poetry means to me…

“You don’t even know

that you are lost

Till you find yourself

Sometimes

You don’t even know

What you want from life

Till you find it

I found poetry”

(Wordsadrifting, You Don’t Even Know)

〰

I revel, revere, live by it, It’s my aubade. Words flow best when I transit from slumber to wakefulness. I wake up and feel a poem stirring. It’s added a new dimension to my life and opened many new doors that I am basking in. Poetry holds relevance as it helped me find my voice. It’s the mirror that made me accept the demons, help wing my dreams and give expression to latent desires. Akin to a paper sponge soaked all my emotions et la it’s my journey’s lore.

You are not made of a moment, day or a month- life cannot be encompassed within any sphere nor defined with ease. The complexity of the human mind entails mystery and magic that no one can fathom. With you lie all those years you have spent and poetry holds me within itself. Call them literary memoirs with life’s learning expressed metaphorically or symbolically, throwing light on morals, virtues and perceptions. It sometimes exposes strengths and vulnerability. I quote myself here “Read Me I Am A Selfie In Words.” Conclude with the lines …

“I am today

That walked all this way

I am that naive girl

Who is a woman of substance today

I am what my pains

My sorrows made me

I am the Abuse

That became strength

I am the words

That became my own muse”

( Wordsadrifting, I Am Me)

What can writing poetry teach us about ourselves?

We write through what we have within us. If we are perceptive, it can be a great teacher. Poetry can give an insight into your inner being and help unravel deep rooted thoughts. It can help understand inner turmoils and depth of emotional state. Further It reflects on our learning, thinking process, perspectives, personality traits and may underline strengths and vulnerabilities.

Who are your favorite poets? Is it their style, the content or something else that resonates with you?

From Homer’s “Odyssey” to Ocean Vuong, “Night Sky with Exit Wounds” the list is long. I love poetry and I love poets…

John Keats

Edward Hirsch once called Keats “the Orphic voice of … poetry.” Keats verses exhibit his philosophic mind, meditative depth, reflections on mortality and communion with nature. His style with vivid imagery, sensual appeal coupled with Figurative language has always captured my mind. The Odes remain his most distinctive poetic achievement and I stay enticed by them. The opening lines of “Endymion” is a constant reminder that “A thing of beauty is a joy forever.”

Alfred lord Tennyson

Tennyson’s poems are identifiable by the dramatic elements in each piece. The allusion to Greek myths is appealing in poems like “Ulysses” and “Lotus Eaters.” I often find solace in the “Memoriam.” It’s philosophical journey in search of resolution to the cycle of grief, pain, and doubt has made me reach out for it often during the year 2020. His style of writing and language has the quality to draw the mind, find connection and help make sense of suffering.

Percy Bysshe Shelley

When I think of Shelley I am reminded of “Ozymandias” and “Ode to West Wind.” His poems exemplify English Romanticism in both its extremes. They enthral, by his lyrical genius, his idealist nature, Plutonism, treatment of nature and despair. Some beautiful lines that linger in my senses.

“Music, when soft voices die,

Vibrates in the memory;”

( Shelley, Written in 1821)

〰

“We look before and after,

And pine for what is not;”

( Shelley, Ode to Skylark)

William Shakespeare

So many thoughts come to the fore when I think of Shakespeare. His entire works from early narrative poems to verse and dramas, exemplified his skills as a writer. The sonnets are a collection of lyric poetry that express the psychological state and mood of the poet. A must read is “Sonnet XVIII” “Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?. His plays written mostly in blank verse are abound with Soliloquy. “Hamlet Act 111 scene I”, “To be or not to be, that is the question” features among the many quotations I love.

Edgar Alan Poe

When I seek to pen a dark piece I often find inspiration in Poe’s Gothic style, nocturnal themes with demonic undertones and musicality. I must also mention his artful understanding of Greek Mythology and the creativity to combine these comparisons to characters in his own narrations. His brilliant command of language and narrative style is appealing. His writing is punctuated with his own stamp. I have read “Annabel Lee” and The“Raven” umpteenth times.

William Wordsworth

He had “the true voice of feelings” of the Romantic Poets, and deep love for the “beauteous forms” of the natural world. These characteristics make his poems very endearing. Wordsworth is best known for “Lyrical Ballads”, co-written with Samuel Taylor Coleridge, and “The Prelude”, a romantic epic poem chronicling growth of the poet’s mind. The latter sees a parallel in my own writings.

Emily Dickinson

Her capitalization of nouns and interior words; sentences punctuated with dashes rather than commas add an interesting dimension to the writing. Her usage of the hymn meter or common meter makes the poems lyrical. The poem “Hope is the thing with feathers”, has always lifted my soul to touch life with hope. It served as a constant reminder, helped me centralise my thoughts and breathe easy.

In recent years I have read many dynamic contemporary poets and found their words powerful and thought provoking. Maya Angelou, Sylvia Plath, Ada Limon, Ocean Vuong, Dorothea Lasky, Louise Gluck, Richard Siken. They pen with a freedom that I find very exhilarating.

If you could ask your favourite poet a question, what would it be?

Aah! A peep into the mind of Shakespeare, that will be a treasure. Many have decoded the writing styles of great poets but how wonderful it would be to hear the great minds speak and tell all.

Tell me about the making of a poem? The process, what went into it, the tools and learning’s? The building of the thought from the point where the idea germinated to culmination?

Poetry can be transformational. Is there a particular poem that spoke to you and changed your life or altered a perspective you held in some way? Can you share the story?

You have stated a very important point. Poetry has the power to inspire a change, I would say writings that speak to you, evoke a response and are impactful.

As an avid reader I have drawn a lot from the literary library I devoured. Poetry has always held the heart and I have sought the wisdom of poets when the mind was lost in the real world. ‘If’’ by Rudyard Kipling and “The Road not Taken” by Robert Frost, dictated a thought in my mind. When sadness engulfed the dark Romanticism of Poe, the literary strength of Emily Dickinson and poignancy of Christina Rossetti surfaced. The latter, though more famous for the “Goblin Market”, stays memorable as I recited the poem “When I Am Dead My Dearest” in 7th grade. I surely did not comprehend poetry then, yet it had the ability to move me. Shakespeare’s ‘Sonnet 116’ laid down the rules of love through my twenties.

“Love is not love

Which alters when it alteration finds,

Or bends with the remover to remove”

I have often questioned love’s fickleness in my poems

“And what is love? I ask thee

That fades upon a stormy night” (Wordsadrifting)

Many played a role in building affinity with nature- “Tintern Abbey” and “Daffodils” by Wordsworth, “Hymn to the Spirit of Nature” and the ode “To Nightingale” By Shelley.

The winds of change however came with my own pen by writing and internalising. A poem can be a stimulus or a reminder, can provoke a thought or invoke a response. I am grateful for this question as it made me see aspects of my writing that I had truly not thought about. Whenever life threw a curveball, I penned my inner turmoils. Running away from life’s responsibilities was never an answer so I had to find the strength within me to face the challenges. Which gives relevance to these opening lines of my poem.

“Between the knife and the wrist

Lies my responsibility to life”

(Wordsadrifting, Responsibility to Life)

Poetry has been my panacea. Through a process of inking my ponderings, rampant ramblings or introspective writings I have unearthed many truths about myself and found answers to the many queries lurking inside. Each piece took me deeper into myself as I explored my relationship to the world. It’s been a progress through time, with time and by time… it slowly changed me to who I am today.

“I am today

That walked all this way

I am the naive girl

Who is a woman

Of substance today”

(Wordsadrifting, I Am Me)

Every challenge comes with its own intricacies and most often the answer lies within not without. Sometimes the answer is not forthcoming and often it’s a lesson in making.

“Beyond the pain a fulgent break of dawn

Ablaze to seek a mass moment adorn

Aflamed to purge inscribe a courage drawn

To heavens speak a voice so strong

reborn”

( Wordsadtifting, Spiritual Purging)

〰

“I wage no wars

I am peace

I cry no more

Tears have dried on me”

(Wordsadrifting, I Am Silence)

The past two years have invoked some thoughts, “For naught do we know of morrow, nor can we wipe the Stygian past.” Some writings have been exploratory, enhancing outlook and widening knowledge. They were penned with a dual prayer to impart something that the reader may relate to and offer an invitation to question some evils of society, “Bullying,” “Mea Culpa,” “Big Boys Don’t Cry,” “Shattering Masks,” “I Am Just Human,” to name a few.

Transformational poetry is taking the stage today. Open mic is a perfect platform for it. Even at my own platform we have Open Mic every week.

Today’s world needs so much healing. Can you help articulate how poetry can help us heal?

“Who knows your pain

If quiet it lain”

The process of writing can be both cathartic and empowering. When you communicate a thought on paper, you eliminate stress by emptying your mind. It crystallises the thought; helps to rationalise, gives awareness of reality and finally the whole process of assimilation creates clarity. Poetry works like that. Emotions give birth to poetry and writing poetry provides an emotional release

Not all poems penned will be for a purpose of healing. When a poem is written with that purpose you need to make sense of the experience, through understanding it more fully or through finding meaning in the suffering. When this second component is part of the writing process or the reflections on the poem, it closely parallels therapy. Further processing emotions often leads to greater self awareness and new insights.

Poetry heals is established so the challenge now is to encourage poets to write about their pain. Though we know it’s not easy. It’s a painful process that makes you relive the moments or revisit a sad memory; It’s like gnawing at the pain again, feeling the ache in the bones when you prise open the wounds, unearth the words buried to peer into blocked emotions.

Think and think again… Is it easy to write about how your body was mauled by strange hands? Is it easy to say how you were beaten? Also, it’s very difficult to give voice to topics that get squashed often, such as mental illness and sexual abuse. Add to it the fear of being trolled, judged, ostracised by society or alienated by family. We also don’t seek empathy sometimes because it makes us look weak. Tears are seen as a sign of weakness or pain associated with shame. There are so many pressures so it’s not easy. It’s the toughest thing to do. Yet we know that is the first step towards the long process of healing.

Question yourself how you have been trapped by social norms, what issues you would like to address that lie within you, maybe you had negative feelings about someone or something that you buried, eg: A letter between friends who are fighting can heal a relationship wound. People are frequently moved to write a poem in times of extremity. In mainstream culture there are subjects that are not talked about. They are a taboo. For example, each of us is going to die, but we do not talk about dying. We are all in the mental dialogue of illness, death and dying, whether or not we are talking about it. Poetry gives us ways to talk about it. Depression and anxiety are among the top two mental illnesses being treated with poetry therapy.

Jump here to the role that platforms play by creating a safe environment for a poet within the poetry community for writing for healing. We read them on live streams. Give them due respect, acceptance and reinforce confidence. When you hear a poem on such topics being read aloud in front of an audience and the same being accepted instils confidence. Also, when the listener finds a stanza relatable. They find a strength to pen their own turmoil. It’s a hope that they will find their voice. It’s creating a ripple effect. Anonymity of writers is also accepted. I need to mention here that it is not easy to read such raw writing. They are heart rending and the graphic details bring tears, it can trigger the reader or the listener. It offers collective acceptance with empathy sans judgement. The message being sent is clear.

“We are with you.

Write,

We Accept You.

You are not alone”

Healing does not take place overnight. While the release may help get to a place where the problem can be seen and experienced differently, the release rarely solves the problem. Some scars are deep rooted and it takes months or even years. Also, a thought provokes its way here with the words of Olivia Laing “Not all wounds need healing and not all scars are ugly.” Some stay as a reminder of our strength and resilience. It may be noted when sharing a poem written for healing purposes, it is not about seeking feedback on the artistic or writing quality; rather, it is about exploring the meaning and significance of the poem in one’s life. The world has seen so much pain and sadness in the past two years that we certainly need more than ever to communicate, share our fears, express pain and not feel alone or isolated and together heal. Sometimes all that pain needs is to be heard. Read “Lend Me A Ear.”

We’d like to learn more about your poetry and writing. How would you describe yourself as a poet? Can you please share a specific passage that you think exemplifies your style or main message?

As T.S. Eliot remarked, “Our talking about poetry is an extension of our experience of it; and as a good deal of thinking has gone to the making of poetry, so a good deal may go to the study of it.”

I embrace versatility, though I am an idolator of Lyric poetry defining traits of a songlike quality with an exploration of emotions and personal feelings. Am a confluence of literary genres, cultures, styles, poetic eras, imbibed and imbued. Being an avid reader with an analytical bent, acuity and sensitivity, the same attention integrates into the poems. Mood and theme often define the style and construction of the poem. It may be organised writing or random expression of thought; an expulsion of emotions or writing for fun; dedication to a theme or a cause; experimenting with a form or learning process. The artist in me takes indulgent expressions from art and paints imagery with words. I remain a Kabbalist of moss-green longings, a spell of metaphysical, syllologist and sylleptical abstraction- the latter a cloaked tint of an irony typical of the retinue of poetic dictar. My poetic voice draws from the votary of Mesotes, a nicomachean ethic, an evident discantus, a mean sentiment in its primness appropriate to each situation. I enjoy writing structured poems with rhyming lines and metre. Sometimes indulge in free form. My prose is lyric and enjoys the liberty of weaving without restraint. Most often my verse is spontaneous without seeking words to enhance. If a word is in my vocabulary, it will find a way into my poem. I am flawed in that; I may leave a poem raw without making changes. However, I work hard when I write a poem in form or metrical poetry. Aesthetics make poetry and literary devices enhance a poem. I use them judiciously.

“O slumber whence you go away

Sweet sorrow lulls me

Into the balmy night a dirge play

Upon my broken effigy”

〰

“I borrowed a memory and let it slip

From the framed picture of our wedding day

I borrowed a smile and pasted it on my lips

From the night you said I love you

I borrowed warmth from our dying embrace

And let it warm my frozen heart into tears

I borrowed laughter from your jocund company

And let happiness ring in the empty house

I borrowed passion from that loving night

To ignite your fervour and ardour again tonight

I borrowed the musk cologne wafting our room

To stir the smell of you in my veins

I borrowed you from fate and told the stars

let my love live within my sighs today

If only…

If only I could borrow a dream from the universe

And live it once again”

(Wordsadtifting, I Borrowed A Dream)

〰

The making of my poem — sometimes I wish, wishes were horses, I would ride them. Sometimes I wish I could borrow a dream that said they lived happily ever after. This is a poem woven around that thought. It reflects on how fairy tales appear in real life albeit in a sense the poem could have begun with the line ‘Once upon a time’. It was birthed upon a cacoethes scribendi moment. The title is borrowed from within the poem and introduces the compulsive thought of the poet. Anaphora is the poetic technique on which this poem is based. It has the quality to be obsessive and the poem is built on an obsession of a desire to borrow bygone moments and relive but a twee differently. No contrived rhymes. The end rhymes are organic and internal rhymes have added to the flow. It relies on the sheer beauty of repetitive words to create rhythm. It’s a litany of the poet’s thoughts reflected and the divergence is a deliberate break in the second stanza which helps to lay emphasis on the build-up. The opening lines and the closing lines are aligned. The opening line relevantly introduces the closing brings the thought back and leaves the reader to ponder. A kindred form of resonance between the two verses has added rhythm. Ellipsis leaves the reader to take a pause to ponder and makes it open ended for interpretation. From the classic opening to the classic ending of almost every fairy tale told they lived happily ever after — a hyperbolic phrase that ends many fairy tales and can be debated upon. Fairy tales suspend our belief, create an escape from real life, and take us to lands of make-believe. I ask the fabulist and the Charles Perrault of today to change the tales and make amends. Our children don’t need to live with a fallacy and dream of only the idyllic. For life in its true nature can never be thus let’s make Cinderella today a woman of substance. Alter the lores.

What do you hope to achieve with your poetry?

My words to resonate, draw emotions and provoke the reader to think deeper to find their own meaning. Pen narratives that take them on a journey and maybe find a tale that breathes inspiration or awakens a thought. The transformational poems to enlighten, give strength to voice their own. The literary nuances carry a hope to encourage use of them and impart information. Fragment of a poem that shares my thoughts.

“O Great souls!

O thinking minds!

Alas O feeling hearts!

My thoughts may linger,

My words asunder stray.

Into your remotest crannies ring,

To stir feelings lying dormant.

Maybe a distant memory alight,

Maybe if we think alike,

You may feel a stirring.

Maybe if we have suffered alike,

You may feel my untold sadness.

Maybe if we have felt those happy moments,

We can smile together and relive”

(Wordsadrifting)

In your opinion and from your experience, what are 3 things everyone can learn from poetry?

1: Understanding and appreciation of the world around us. Reading and writing poetry creates a more connected world.

2: You are not alone in your grief, pain, joy or happiness despite all the differences.

3: There are varying perceptions to all thoughts. It helps to get a lateral view on things and be receptive to varied viewpoints.

Based on your own experience and success, what are the “five things a poet needs to know to create beautiful and evocative poetry?” If you can, please share a story or example for each.

Poetry can be powerful, poignant, beautiful or be what you want it to be. The creativity is in your hands. The tools and poetic devices can help to create.

1: WORDS

Your diction can define the tone of your poem and help to create the mood. Words can inspire, challenge, move, touch and intrigue. Use the right word for their meaning, their connotation, their sound. It’s the words that work as a guide to the feelings behind the poem. Know the right lingo. If using a thesaurus be mindful of the true meaning of the word.

2: IMAGERY

Imagery is a vivid and vibrant form of description that appeals to the reader’s senses and imagination. Create imagery by using figures of speech like simile, metaphor, personification or onomatopoeia. Imagery beautifies and intensifies the poetic work.

“An auric orb doth aglow there

Like candles on fire on water be”

(Wordsadrifting)

3: RHYME AND RHYTHM

Poems have a musicality to them. End rhymes, internal rhymes add to the flow of the poem. There are several different rhyming patterns and schemes. The choice depends on the topic, style, and theme of the poem. The many literary devices like — onomatopoeia, alliteration, assonance, consonance, rhythm, meter, caesuras, end-stopped line and enjambment all help to make the poem beautiful. Simply experiment with the easier techniques and notice the difference in your poem.

Alliteration: involves the use of two or more words that begin with the same sound, for example “Winged whispering words wander.” Alliteration is a great way to grab the reader’s attention at a particular moment of the poem.

Assonance: is when the vowel sounds are repeated in two or more words that are close to each other in the poem and have different consonants.

4: FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE

They are effectively used to enhance a poem. Extended metaphors and working on synecdoche or metonymy can add layers of meaning. Using them makes the language more evocative and poems more memorable.

Simile: A simile compares one thing to another by using the words like or as. Read Shakespeare’s poem “Sonnet 130.” “My mistress eyes are nothing like the sun,”

Metaphor: a metaphor compares one another by saying one thing is another. Read Emily’s poem “Hope is the thing with feathers.”

Scallops of clouds on Welkin lay worn

With ebony rims of pain

(Wordsadrifting)

Personification: a personification involves giving a non-human, inanimate object the qualities of a person. Robert Frost did that in his poem” Storm Fear”

“When the wind works against us in the dark,

And pelts with snow

The lower chamber window on the east,

And whispers with a sort of stifled bark

The beast,

‘Come out! Come out! — “

Hyperbole: A hyperbole is an exaggeration of the truth to create an effect. Sometimes that’s done in a single statement. Other times it can happen with repetition like in Robert Frost’s Famous poem “Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening”.

Understatement: this is the exact opposite of hyperbole. The writer deliberately chooses to downplay the significance or seriousness of a situation or an event. This is evident in Mary Howitt’s poem “The Spider and the Fly.”

5: JOURNALING

Poetry is a powerful medium of expression. Keeping a journal can help you catalogue particularly striking images and thoughts as they occur to you throughout your day. Capture poetic snapshots of ordinary events of your life, they can go as a sentence or word in the poetry journal to be expanded upon later. The reader is sure to find themselves within the lines. No matter what walks of life.

If you were to encourage others to write poetry, what would you tell them?

Poetry can be beautiful in words and visuality too. Form poetry has an appeal. The font adds to the beauty of the poem. Experiment Writing for the Eye. It’s fun. Be creative and above all do not forget you have a poetic licence. The below points I often reiterate

WRITE AND WRITE

Write in the way that feels natural or defines you. Write what feels most comfortable whether it’s rhymes or free style. Just be yourself.

BE TRUE TO YOURSELF

your thoughts and emotions. let your mind and heart lead you, let your feelings guide you. Some of the best poems are those written from the heart.

NEVER FEAR JUDGEMENT

Do not let fear of judgement stop you. Perspectives will vary. Learn from them. If you are seeking feedback, be open to hearing what has to be offered. I always tell poets to take pride in their words. Give yourself the freedom to explore your craft and play with meaning and form. Don’t hold yourself back or worry about the final product. Some of your best work will come when you feel unconstrained and free to play.

READ A LOT OF POETRY

Find time for your passion It helps to identify the right methods to develop your own unique voice. Let’s say you like my style of poetry. Pick the poem you like. See how it’s written, my method. You may also find something that inspires you when you read other poets.

RESEARCH YOUR TOPIC

it’s always good to study your subject, research, read, make notes of key facts and then write. Eg: topics like Alzheimer’s, Global Warming. It will help to write better and increase your knowledge. Be authentic with the details. You don’t want to share wrong details about specific subjects. When you wish to be helpful. Since the purpose is also to create awareness it’s advisable to be factual and impart right information.

A point to note: If you are new to writing poetry do not stress about using great words. If it’s a part of your vocabulary, then use them. Else use concrete words and simple language to construct poignant and affecting poetry. There’s no need to rely on a thesaurus to find the right words for your poetry. Truly I don’t use the thesaurus.

How would you finish these three sentences:

Poetry teaches by reading, writing, exploring and varying perspectives.

Poetry heals, by internalising, by expressing and by writing. To quote Nick Cannon “you can’t heal until you feel”

To be a poet, you need to be emotive, sensitive to surroundings and empathic.

We are very blessed that some of the biggest names in Entertainment , Business, VC funding, and Sports read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US, with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we both tag them :-)

Amanda Gorman

She has been doing ground-breaking things her entire life. A Harvard graduate. The first ever National Youth Poet Laureate, 2017, an accolade that placed attention on her abilities as a wordsmith. At 19 years old performed her poem “In This Place (An American Lyric)” at the library of Congress. Then her show stopping performance of “The Hill We Climb” on President Joe Biden’s Inauguration Day in January- in Prada outfit captivated and her words reverberated with people, industries and generations. She is a stunning example of persevering in the face of a challenge despite speech impediment, she became a phenomenal orator She is an inspiration! Kudos to her!

How can our readers further follow your work online?

Instagram handles

@wordsadrifting

@poetrysupportbybt

Thank you for these excellent insights, and we greatly appreciate the time you spent. We wish you continued success.