Poetry
Waking up to a Not-Very-Difficult Choice: Poet of the Week
Becoming “Poet of the Week” at Poetry Playground
Though I’m trying not to check my phone first thing in the morning, it’s still a “work in progress”. So, today I woke up to a very courteous question, “Would you like to be the Poet of the Week?” I almost jumped out of bed, and, glad the shy, introverted lady didn’t get the better of me, I said “Yesss!”.
So, here I am claiming the coveted title!
Where are you based?
Born in a very traditional Indian family, in the small town of Chhapra in the state of Bihar — I moved to Patna and Mangalore for my studies.
I’m a dentist, not practising currently.
Thanks to the transfers and job switches in my husband’s corporate career — I’ve lived in Baroda, Calcutta, Chennai and Mumbai.
I’ve been fortunate to call the lovely city of Bangalore, my home for the last four years. I live here with my husband and three sons.
What is one of your favourite poems?
Though I’ve not formally studied English literature, some of the poems in my English Reader book in school have stayed with me.
“The blind beggar” by Mary Dobson. The vivid, insightful lines were deeply etched in my young mind.
“All things bright and beautiful” by Cecil Frances Alexander — loved it as a kid.
“Silver” and “The cupboard” by Walter de la Mare made an impact through the metaphorical and innocent lines.
“I wandered lonely as a cloud” by William Wordsworth is a classic.
The poems were my windows to a whiff of fresh air in nature’s meadows, moon, trees, birds, and butterflies transporting me to a different world — tender and kind.
How long have you been writing on Medium?
I’ve been writing actively on Medium since November 2023 and became a member a few months later.
Why did you join Medium?
After noticing the play of words in birthday messages and small articles, my sister reminded me of the stories I wrote in school that were published in the kids section of a newspaper and encouraged me to start blogging.
Medium was a serendipitous discovery that came as a blessing, on the way.
Though it’s not a “paying” medium yet for us, it doesn’t matter.
I love reading, writing and engaging with all the wonderful people here.
Why do you write poetry?
Though I could write other articles, I had never tried my hand at poetry.
But once I started, I was surprised by the results and responses.
Now they’ve become an outlet of emotions that were buried deep down under the layers of daily chaos and errands.
As words start flowing organically, without trying hard — it makes me feel lighter and relieved and of course, the accolades, claps and comments are like icing on the cake.
What is one of your favourite poems you’ve read on Medium and why?
There are so many gifted writers here, that it’s difficult to choose. But two poems haunt me, due to the way they deal with trauma.
In Jennifer Morrison’s David she captures the love for her son and his memories, who left too soon.
Carolyn Hastings wrote What his eyes saw. The topic of domestic violence is often brushed under the carpet in our society. She’s raised it in a raw form, as gory as it can be, through the eyes of a child.
Which of the poems you’ve written and published on Medium is your favourite? Why?
Well, there’re two of them.
The first one is my struggle with my brown skin as a kid and how I outgrew it — becoming confident, not coy…
And the other one’s loosely based on the tumultuous journey of motherhood, where it took precedence over my profession. I could never go back to the dentistry practice, once the younger ones were born within two years of each other.
If you could offer one piece of advice about writing poetry to someone who is just starting, what would it be?
As I consider myself late for this party, I can suggest from whatever helps me —
Topic — Choose something close to your heart or a thing you feel strongly about. This allows an incessant flow of words, almost without you knowing.
Form — You can keep it short initially, as most of us read on our phones.
Imagery, creativity and metaphors give a lyrical, appealing tone - even while dealing with pragmatic topics.
Joining Pubs — I’ve joined Poetry Playground & Paper Poetry. They come up with outstanding prompts and the visibility increases too. Plus, Jonny Masters and Carolyn Hastings are the sweetest editors I’ve come across — very supportive and motivating.
Editor’s Pick
Jonny Masters has selected one of my poems to share. It is one of my most recent ones tackling the topic of ageing. Jonny enjoyed the juxtaposition of an older self meeting a younger self.
Getting selected as the “Poet of the Week” means a lot to me. Thank you so much, Jonny Masters and Poetry Playground!
Join me at Poetry Playground here:
