Kerala - Kochi   

Words that make life situations glisten

The collection contains 38 short and self-revealing poems which make the simple situations in life glisten.

Annie George

Through Gladioli and Other Poems, published recently, Annie George of Athirampuzha in Kottayam district compels the reader to recognise the poet in her. The collection contains 38 short and self-revealing poems which make the simple situations in life glisten.

The words she has adapted into her poems have in no way compromised the art of poetry. Reading, understanding and interpreting them can be enjoyable. They form a fine combination of poetic diction with linguistic style. For instance, penning her way down to recall childhood days through `Cashew trail,' she simply "cannot resist these freshly fallen nuts on the path that leads me to the library" and winds it up by venting that "I am tempted to hold a handful of childhood memories in my hand."

The selection of `Gladioli' as the title for the book has a reason behind it. Her late father had a fascination for these flowers. The book in facts begins with her impressions of `Gladioli' and she proceeds for an elegiac conclusion: "They adorned the bouquets, once, the vases and bridal cars at weddings. Now... I hear them sigh as they accompany us to his grave every September."

`Lightning' is something she experiences as "camera flashes roll to a staccato beat of celestial drums downloading to a downpour."

`Mehandi' fascinates the poet as "cones of colour provide hours of happiness to sisters, cousins and nieces on wedding eves. Designs of burning orange in myriad modes and motifs catch their fascination. No artificial dye ever dared to challenge these designer leaves."

Of `Scarcity,' she feels that "if woes knew words they wouldn't seem harsh for all they feel is the scarcity of words."

Brought up in West Bengal, she describes the `Howrah Bridge' as "threshold to the rest of India. Cantilever wings bridge culture gaps between east and west, north and south. The Holy River flows, witness to unholy deeds."

Columnist and poetry editor of MuseIndia Ambika Ananth has written the foreword to the book.

Ignatius Pereira

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Directive to Kannur Collector on Aralam farm
`Young achievers, do not miss out on life'
Words that make life situations glisten
Capital market in for massive changes, says SEBI Chairman
Solemn celebrations at Naval Base
Project State, SEBI chief tells CEOs
District-level HSS youth festival from today
Mushrooms grown in lab conditions
Waiting for the end
Around the City
In Kochi Today

Copyright © 2006, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu