Title:
The Forest I Know
Author:
Kala Ramesh
Publisher:
Harpercollins India
Genre:
Poetry
Pages:
170
The Forest I know by Kala
Ramesh, is a stunning collection of poetry centered around nature and human
behavior. It reflects on quietness and beauty of being alive. These short poems
are so comforting and impactful, mostly based on universal sentiments.
While
reading these tanka pieces, I tried to absorb every word relates to my
core. Somewhere, I found connectedness to village home and my childhood as
well. I felt her work as fresh breath, each fragment shaped by understanding of
people and life.
a visit
to
our childhood home
I feel stripped
when
those old trees
see
me without my dreams
Her
poems don’t follow any specific structural pattern, uses of free verses is more
like music to ears, engaging and full of enigmatic observations. She has
ability to evoke emotions and transform her reader into a world of senses. Her
observant eye expresses the depth of her craft and artistry
today I think
of all my yesteryears
with you
and were you ever with me
at any time at all?
Basically,
this book begins with a prose piece ─ A gaping whole ─ about a little girl and
eventually we start discovering the portrait of a woman. It is a kind of journey
that shines into self-discovery, acceptance and sustainable understanding.
Each passage feels like perceptive meditation on nature,
human behavior and relationships. Certain poems have tied with bit melancholy and
familiar sadness, ‘My heart weeps for the child I have never seen.’
I loved her poems, more than that liked the way she perceives
her surrounding, her technique of adding layers to sharpen the imagery. As if
we are floating in her poetic conscience.
the red dot
on my forehead
binds me
to a man
who's in his own orbit
Her writing is simple yet lyrical. The way she captures joy
in each situation, even celebrate the pain is inexplicable. Each passage feels
like perceptive meditation on nature, human behavior and relationships. Here, I
am sharing some details of my favourite pieces from this collection:
In
Vratham, Kala describes the value of our roots in a metaphorical form;
she gives example of Ekadashi Vrat ‘Twice a month grandmother refused to join
us for a meal.’
In
A Dewdrop World, Kala depicts the hidden meaning of making art, ‘When I
asked a potter how she shaped her pots so effortlessly. She answered…’ That
answer really amazed me as a reader.
I am
what I make of dreams
a dewdrop
holds the moon
In a passage titled ‘The Unlearned’, she discussed the bishnois in the state of Rajasthan who bury their dead instead of cremating them. This is such thought-provoking piece. At one place, she also mentions about Ustad Bismillah Khan and how his Shehnai shapes the raga.
In Baggage, she has beautifully woven the moment
around scribbling, and left us with a quote ‘Habits die after all’
In Bitterness, she talks about her ailing mother, who
is heading for Alzheimer and her unsolved puzzle about hairs that fall.
In
a way these Tanka proses and Dohas included her own passionate presence, which
gives it a doubt of autobiography or personal diary. Each verse is so beautiful and heartfelt, As
if some deserted land was seeking for raindrops. What I have learnt that Kala
captured the beauty of one’s presence in a particular moment. Some poems
are so good; I reread them and tried to catch the magic of her world she lives
in.
at twilight
the forest I
know
by sight
becomes a
forest of sound
cicada
summer
for eons, waves
have danced the pebbles
to perfection … but
it’s the sand through my fingers
that leaves me spellbound.
Though
I had never heard of Kala Ramesh before reading ‘The forest I know’ but that
all up to my ignorance only. She is the recent favourite discovery. I am
definitely going to search her work in journals.
This book is balm for wearied beings. If you are new to poetry and really want to pick one book, I will unhesitatingly recommend this collection to you.
Amazon: The Forest I know by Kala Ramesh
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