In her 10th solo exhibition, Smeetha presented selected works from her 'Universe Series along with a poetry installation featuring works/books by Taseer Gujral, Nabina Das, Nandita Bose. Poets from the newly formed 'Poetry Club Mumbai' came and read their poems to much admiration & love.
Poetry at ‘Universe Seies’ - Smeetha’s 10th Solo Exhibition, Nov 2014
Like trembling drops on leaves some fluttered, about to disappear. Others peeped in over the hedge, their words like kites flying high, all colours.
Some came rushing in, their beautiful plumes outspread, raising a golden haze in their wake. I stood at the window watching them arrive. Many passed majestically by, so poised, a retinue of 'likes' holding up their train, as they sauntered away...
Rhymes rolled in out of thin air, some whistled in like trains, others dropped down incognito....or they just walked in. Oh, how it poured verses and there was space in my heart for all of them, the mind was loathe to count, emails creaked in compression!
Poetry had arrived. And greeted me ever so warmly. How could i not share some of its stories with you?
Of poetry.....yes that magical, mysterious alchemist, able to transform anything with a mere touch, a word well placed, an emotion divined. A naive belief that it could set the world right!
And in recent times, the story of poetry is the story of these poems that came my way, like manna from the heavens.
Of Gravity, Untitled, Wish from three young poets- Siddharth, Rudra, Nadeem. Their other avatars?
Dr. Warrier, Theatre-Joshi, Architect RVK, in that order. They make The Poetry Club proud! Seeing them perform poetry one knows that the world will yet be saved, that something is very right with it.
Persian Garden by Bob McKerrow. Bob, the wayfarer, as he calls himself, is a mountaineer, explorer, poet and humanitarian, who works with the International Red Cross. Currently, he is in the Phillipines, rebuilding lives shattered by tornadoes; and even as i write this, facing a high alert for an impending typhoon. Best lucks Bob. Persian Garden was written during his time in Afghanistan in 1993 -94, full of pain & hardship.
And there is Uni-Verse by Taseer Gujral. Taseer is a wonderful friend and a soulful, sensitive poet. Her poetry is sublime. She also writes travel stories and one i enjoyed immensely is her blog The Monk & the Lighted Shack, about her trek up to Tiger's Nest in Paro, Bhutan.
Dust Circles by Nabina Das. Nabina is a good friend and a gifted author & poet. Dust Circles is from her recent poetry collection Into the Migrant City. What i must add here is that her collection of short stories House of Twining Roses, has earned her my absolute allegiance & admiration. When a poet writes stories, she draws you into nuances & emotions so fine, you are like a spider drawn into a web, warm and soft.
The Men I Love by Nandita Bose. Nandita is a dear friend and author whose books i have loved. Yes, i've Tread Softly and wondered If Walls Could Weep too, and am the richer for it. For, when a fiesty feminist writes love stories of such impeccable balance, you know she's a poet at heart.
Let the poetry begin.