I like to write poetry. A lot of people try to write it without understanding not only the heart required but the diligent labor for the precise words and their arrangement that allow the reader to participate in a grace of understanding. When I read some of my own creations I see where I’ve failed to strive hard enough to do just that. So I read the works of others to see how they handle this holy chore of writing. I ran across the poetry of Somali K. Chakrabarti on a poetry site I frequent. That in turn led me to her book Lei: A wreath for your soul. It doesn’t take long for me to know how far I want go into another’s work. If I don’t perceive quality quickly, I rarely persevere. But quality was apparent from the start.
Somali does not launch right into poetry but prepares the reader for what is to come; what she is trying to accomplish. She begins with a brief description of how social media has shaped our communications because the type of poetry she uses in the book, Haiku and Tanka, are suited to the short bursts of words in the digital world. She includes a brief history on these poetic forms that clearly depicts her reason for using them.
Thus enlightened the reader is ready for the divisions she has made by creating four categories (Nature, Life, Illusion, Inspiration) to accommodate the nuances of her poems. Each poem is given further expression by a picture and sometimes a quote or brief reference or explanation. This is not one of those books where one must wonder what was meant.
Haiku and Tanka, as you learn before you start reading the poems, are meant to convey essence of meaning, so each poem is short and minimal. It reminded me of taste testing chocolates from a large assortment. I can’t say there was a flavor I didn’t like. But there were certain poems that penetrated more than others with me like Soaking in Colours, Rainbow and the Moon, Everest and Fractals in Nature. Those poems are in the Nature section, and Somali has a gift for laying open nature with simple clarity. But my favorite section was Illusion. I particularly liked Spell and Dormant Desires. The pictures and the words worked seamlessly to offer a small but delightful illusion.
It would be easy to go on about this small gem of a book. Overall it had the feel of well-planned simplicity. I came to the end feeling a little lighter, that I’d learned something, and that I got more than I paid for.
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Top reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on December 10, 2015Format: Kindle
Top reviews from other countries
- B G KansaraReviewed in India on October 28, 2015
A small and sweet collection of lovely poems
Format: KindleVerified Purchase - Ms. Sanchayita DebReviewed in the United Kingdom on December 5, 2015
Enjoyed Nature, culture and life all in one book
Format: KindleVerified Purchase - RavishReviewed in India on November 27, 2015
A Refreshing Experience
Format: KindleVerified Purchase - Kim M RussellReviewed in the United Kingdom on November 2, 2015
A little treasure of gems to dip into
Format: KindleVerified Purchase
