Book Review #138 : The Right Escape

 

If you love to read small poetry or micro tales, this book is for you! This book is inspiring, relatable and profound.

A published book in your hands is someone's hard work, sweat and efforts. Hajra is a beautiful soul and it shows through her writing. This book is a perfect cosy winter read for a sore heart. Needless to say, I was baffled with what I found folded into the pages. I was expecting an inspirational slightly tacky read much like how I viewed poetry prior to this. What I found was vulnerability, startling bluntness, and a pure and raw story laced into the pages!

The poems are sweet and idealistic. Overall, I really enjoyed this compilation of poems and would totally recommend to anyone who is looking to heal from a bad experience in life. I do not subscribe to the belief that poetry must be difficult to be meaningful, hence, I truly enjoyed this book.

VERDICT – ‘The Right Escape’, is a ‘modern classic’, worthy to be read out loud, written in texts to loved ones, and learnt by heart. The reminder to appreciate yourself and to embrace love, separation and the process of self-discovery is timeless.

RATING – 4/5

 

Book Review #137 : yesterday i was the moon

It's been quite the minute since I last read a poetry collection, so when my eyes landed on this book on Amazon - I was beyond keen on diving in.

‘yesterday i was the moon’ is a collection of poetry by noor unnahar - it explores courage, self-love, culture and the struggles of making peace with your heart and art. it contains black & white photographs paired with poetry pieces; giving it a photo diary feels. 

I think I'll be revisiting this book again, it's so beautifully written. I least expected this but each & every line was soul-touching. I'd recommend this to anyone who is remotely interested in reading poetry, it's strange to see that the book is not hugely recognized, but it doesn't matter, as long as it touches the hearts of people it comes to hold off. 

The book does not revolve around a particular theme, rather it covers the art, home, society, courage, strength, acceptance and culture. This is written with emotion, honesty and poignancy. 

However, the book has more drawings in it than any other poetry book that I have read till date, which means it is very short on content. It’s only 160 pages and has drawings on every 3rd page (which makes it more personal, and almost like a journal). BUTTTTT, I wanted more content. 

Reading Noor's words, you can smell the scent of love, passion, anger, and truth on every page. Her poems will speak to your soul like they were written for you. 

Ratings: 4.5/5 (I craved more poetry!)

Haiku #24 ~ Ph.D

HAIKU : A poetry form, with three lines. The first being 5 syllables, the second 7, then 5 in the third.

The first months are hard,

As time passes, the growth becomes visible,

Then the results shine out. 

Haiku #18 ~ Self Love

HAIKU : A poetry form, with three lines. The first being 5 syllables, the second 7, then 5 in the third.

To give love can cause -

pain - if there is no self love.

First, you must love you!

Haiku #17 ~ Surface

HAIKU : A poetry form, with three lines. The first being 5 syllables, the second 7, then 5 in the third.

Beauty thorn of a rose,

surface deep to cause you sharp pain,

beauty blinds the eyes, mostly.

Linen Curtains

Linen curtains, knit of fancy, rustic yarns,

Plethora of thoughts fleeting through the blue, purple and scarlet dimness,

An air of romance permeates the volume,

The linen curtains recall your voice tonight, 

Recall the night when it first saw two silhouettes making pure, mad love! 

💙 

-Aayesha 

Image Source : Pinterest

Book Review #114 : the sun and her flowers

The Sun and Her Flowers, by Rupi Kaur, is perfect for anyone who has recently broken up with someone who did not nurture your soul sufficiently to sprout. For all shattered spirits in search of a safe haven, this poetic collection is nectar to busy little injured bees. In a garden where precious buds are in dire need of water, The Sun and Her Flowers reflects souls who rise above the barriers that hinder their growth. It is a passage between decay, awakening, and healing. Rupi Kaur’s most recent anthology is “the recipe of life.”

Rupi Kaur vividly plays with paradoxical symbols. The book cover contained sunflowers, typically resembling joy and vitality, and its content depicts themes of woe and melancholy. It symbolises the process of regaining light after prolonged, somber nights of despair. Even vibrant and cheerful beings, like sunflowers, can wilt and suffer with scarce nurturing.

The Sun and Her Flowers encompasses an enticing table of contents, akin to a flower cycle: wilting, falling, rooting, rising, and blooming. Each category portrays poems with illustrations done by Kaur herself, relevant to their respective themes.

One of the many reasons to love this book  is its capacity to truly mend and heal broken hearts stuck in despair and darkness. This anthology provides light at the end of the readers’ tunnels, and give hope to souls who consider themselves unfortunate.

If you read her first book (Milk and Honey), it's still in Rupi's signature style, but she manages to cover similar topics from a different standpoint. It kind of feels as though her books are maturing with her, as this one handles the issues from Milk and Honey in a more mature, learned tone.

Even if some of the poems in the sun and her flowers seem like recycled oldies-but-goodies, there's no denying that Kaur is brilliant. She's not afraid to speak her mind and talk about taboo subjects, such as female infanticide, immigration, rape, abuse, mental illness and sexual empowerment. Her poems contain difficult subject matter and can be hard to read, but they all hold a unique power that can and will speak to many people around the world. This leaves readers feeling as though Kaur has gone deep into the depths of their personal lives and put all the heart-wrenching feelings they once felt down on paper.

Reading The Sun and Her Flowers will honestly change your life and your relationships with yourself and others. I am truly looking forward to reading her future publications. Definitely recommend that ALL young women read this, if for no other reason than to see that we are all sharing very similar struggles in love and life in general.

Ratings : 5/5 

Book Review #113 : Patna Blues

Book :- Patna Blues

Author :- Abdullah Khan

Publisher :- Juggernaut

First thing first. I would like to express my utmost gratitude to Mr. Abdullah Khan for entrusting me with the review for his debut book ‘Patna Blues’.

"Patna Blues" revolves around three main characters; Arif, a Muslim boy from the lower-middle-class family who dreams of becoming an official of the IAS and changing the fortune of his family. Zakir, Arif's younger brother and an aspiring actor who eventually becomes a victim of the fascist side of India. The love of his life, Sumitra, a mature married Hindu woman. Arif and Sumitra, two amateur poets, share their love and passion for Urdu poetry. Urdu Shayaris are the fragrance of this story which will certainly make you fall in love with them.

The book is hard cover and the cover looks very good with a picture of a young boy who plants a lots of questions and curiosity in the reader's mind.

The book illuminates the post-Babri life of Indian Muslims too. The way the author has explained the life of a Muslim boy or a Muslim family in the Hindu majority India is the highlight of the book.

The book is a heart-wrenching tale from dream to destiny with a gripping storyline and admirable characters. It explores the various taboos existing in our society and highlights the hostility towards Muslims. The characters are relatable inspired from those who we have met at some point in our lives. My most loved character is that of Arif, a boy who despite of several hurdles doesn’t lose hope. His relationship with his family and friends is warm and pleasant.

The book is a gripping read which doesn’t allow you to take a break from it. At one point, it seems that Arif is a reflection of the author himself. The distinct portrayal of emotions make this novel an interesting yet realistic read.

Patna Blues does full justice to its title. As we accompany Arif Khan, the protagonist, along his life’s path, mostly strewn with speed breakers, pothole’s and occasionally down gravel filled paths as he trips and falls, again and again, we can’t help but root for him to do better: to pass the all important IAS exam this time, somehow be with the woman of his dreams, help his Abba with the financial burden that wears his lower middle class police officer father down, find his beloved younger brother Zakir who the police have picked up one dark night and then have denied picking up.

There are a lot of scenes and incidents that take place and are left unexplained as to why it happened or what exactly happened. I humbly demand him a sequel. The author writes lucid language that is relatable and understandable. The narration is a combination of crispiness, ornamentation and a bit of a drag at places.

I recommend this book to one and all. Especially to those who wants to try out new storylines, that are different from the unusual boy-meet-girl tale. It is a heartrending tale that would eventually pull the reader to the very depth of the narration. The ending is touching, a feast to the readers’ soul and perhaps the best part of the book.

Rating - 4.5/5

Book Review #101 : Milk and Honey

Book - Milk and Honey
Author - Rupi Kaur
Genre - Poetry
Publisher - Andrews McMeel Publishing
Hit the shelves on - November 4, 2014
Pages - 204

This heartfelt collection of poems hit the shelves November of 2014. I saw milk and honey in the local bookwalah shop and decided to embrace my poetic side and purchase it. Needless to say, I was baffled with what I found folded into the pages. I was expecting an inspirational slightly tacky read much like how I viewed poetry prior to this. What I found was vulnerability, startling bluntness, and a pure and raw story laced into the pages of Rupi Kaur's poetry.

Kaur breaks her book into four parts; the hurting, the loving, the breaking and the healing. The poems open in a bit of a dark aura. The hurting depicts the author’s experiences with sexual assault and the struggles of overcoming family issues. This section is a bit chilling.

The next section, the loving, is a more uplifting read. The poems are sweet and idealistic. These are the ones that couples want to read to remind themselves of why they are still together.

The breaking returned us to a darker place in Kaur’s life. Any girl that has ever endured a break up after a long term relationship could find a relatable poem in this section. While these poems were sad, they were also very realistic and relatable.

The last section of milk and honey accomplished exactly what I think the author was aiming for. These poems empowered women to embrace themselves and to value who they are regardless of the turmoil they have endured. I would recommend this section to anyone going through a break up or just yearning for some comfort.

Overall, I really enjoyed this compilation of poems and would totally recommend to anyone who is looking to heal from a bad experience in life or breakup.

Btw - Upon publication, ‘milk and honey’ sold over 1.5 million copies, defying expectations of modern poetry’s popularity. In an age favouring easily digested thriller novels and celebrity biographies far above verse, this collection of poetry is certainly the exception to the rule. Perhaps this is due to Kaur undercutting the impersonality of a modernist aesthetic with accessible, simplistic language. Kaur does not subscribe to the belief that poetry must be difficult to be meaningful, championing a direct and inclusive register that unites her personal experiences with the reader. Combining a first person perspective with the repeated second person pronoun ‘you’, Kaur further bridges the gap between her poetry and her audience. She forges a link that causes the reader to imagine themselves not only as author, but as muse. Pointing beyond the page at ‘you’, Kaur rejects the division of the reader from the writer, assimilating her own experiences, memories, and subjects with her audience.

VERDICT - ‘milk and honey’, is a ‘modern classic’, worthy to be read out loud, written in texts to loved ones, and learnt by heart. The reminder to appreciate yourself and to embrace emotion is timeless.

The book teaches you that life is filled with terrible and heartbreaking moments but within those moments you can find great things. Great things that you might have missed if you were not looking. There is so much meaning and emotion behind every word, and it is even relatable. Several of the poems deal with situations that many face today.

RATING – 5/5

But You're My Home

Everybody has a home team: It's the people you call when you get a flat tire or when something terrible happens. It's the people who, near or far, know everything that's wrong with you and love you anyways. These are the ones who tell you their secrets. 

I cannot explain, 

What you mean to me, 

Cause words just don’t justify, 

Anything anymore. 

Every time, I look at you, 

There is a kind of stillness I feel. 

I steal chances to hold your hand, 

An embrace, a kiss, 

A touch, 

Yup, that's how in love I am with you. 

You are my kindred soul, 

Inspiring me to do so much more, 

Around you, I can just be me, 

Not a care for the outside world. 

Issues, we raise a few, 

Changes, we adapt, 

Together, we will always make it through. 

I feel all magical about me, 

Because you are the one. 

You complete me, 

And you don't even know how, 

Neither do I, 

But you are my home. 

Faasley

Faasle bahut hain,

Par itna maan lijiye,

Aap khayalon me itne karib hain ki faaslon ka ehsaas hi nahin hota.

Aaina hoon main,

Mere samne aakar to dekho,

Khud nazar aaoge,

Tere harr lafz ko ibaadat banakar sambhala hai,

Dagmaga jaoge mera dard utha kar to dekho,

Yun to aasaan nazar aata hai,

Kitna mushkil hai meri raaha se jaakar to dekho.

Ajnabee toh yun hue,

Lagta hai baant ke samandar ko do dariya kiye,

Kabhi haalat se, kabhi zamane se bebas ho gaye,

Aate jaate najane kitne pal tere naam kiye,

Jhatak kar haath jab bhi chale door tujhse,

Zindagi ne tujh mein ulajhne k bahane hazaar diye.

Kayi zakhm dil ke seeye gaye,

Kayi mushkilon me jeeye,

Magar hote apne barbaad wajood ki khabar na le sake..

Faaslon ka asli ehsaas toh tab hua,

Jab maine kaha 'theek hun' aur aapne maan liya..

Darmiyan humare fasslon ko kuch aur bhi baaki rehne do,

Ek baar fir kabhi, yun hi achanak milne ki aarzo toh baaki rehne do..

Kal mile hum agar kahin,

Toh kuch ho kehne tumhare pass aur kuch sunne humare paas,

Gile shikvon ki ho agar baarish, toh bheeg sake hum sath sath,

Muh fer kar na nikal jayein, ajnabeeyon jaise,

Kuch lamho ki hi sahi,

Mulakaton se toh na katrayein..

The Season Of Romance

The kiss was spontaneous, hungry and wordless.

As the rain pelted outside,

Years of longing erupted.

Their hands and lips were relentless.

The thought of leaving each other's side,

Made their body twist into a million knots.

Every little detail in the world had become pronounced,

Colors seemed more colorful,

Sounds seemed more melodic,

Overwhelming : small word.

Big emotions.

// Bollywood has exploited the monsoon season to no end. And that’s great because we have some great rain songs to listen to. This is the season to recreate the magic. You can recall your first hug, first kiss and make more memories to last a lifetime. Believe it or not, there is no better season for love than monsoon.  

The Silent Silence

 Avoiding each other's eyes,

Unintentional touches,

Long gaze outside the window,

She tried to search something that was lost and would never be found.

He gobbled the tasteless food without commenting, something he rarely did.

Neither did she pass any snide remark on this unusual happening.

With teary eyes, she ate her food with full concentration,

Like it was the most important thing in the world.

Is silence always silent? 
Not all the time...

Haiku #16 ~ Love

"Golden earth tones,

Brown - sky blue - red - yellow leaves,

Your love colors me!"

Written In The Stars

“Before I die, I want to stare at the stars with the people I love.”

Yes, "desire" comes from the Latin, de sideribus, from the stars, as Rei says. Yet before that, the Greeks had a belief that every single person was given (or born with) a star. And that star guided their destiny, was their guiding spirit. This is why the Magi followed the star at Jesus' birth. They were following "his" star. The word disaster means, literally, to be de-starred - to lose one's inner guidance, and to therefore fall into chaos. 

So equating a love with a star is to also equate that love with destiny and guidance....a very deep and intense matter indeed.

Stars are pretty, other worldly, they twinkle and when you look at the person you like - you see a similar twinkle in their eye. 

Some people adore stars because:

Stars are glittering objects beyond their reach and they see the object of their affection in the same way.

I love stars. 

A Poetry Called You

Three words are too hollow for a silent poetry called "you".

Light, darkness, everything, you.

Arms can be home too, I realized.

Making love can be soulful too. Like poetry.

The swipes of the tongues, striking with so much of love.

Carnivals can be kisses too.

Those beautiful moments,

Interspersed with muffled words escaping through locked lips!

Resting on your shoulders,

I have my own ways of showing I own you.

To meet you, I could have waited for eons,

Having found a balance with each other,

As we walk the tightrope of life together.

Rock me gently with your chest movements,

Air rushing in and out of your lungs will be my lullaby, forever!

Mushy Conversations : Wildfire

You poke and stare,

A wildfire glare,

In melting shrieks,

I turn and burn, away,
 Till all that’s left - is ash.

Love is all consuming,

As he shines like silver midnight moon,

As liquid fire melts with twinkling sunshine of his eyes,

Feeling the warmth of his beating heart now fluttering so,

I see a radiant chain of daisies growing in the deep green grass.

Every choice I have ever made throughout my long life,

Has led me now to him at this very special moment in time,

I have now a clear vision of my life, my fate, and my destiny.

Becoming the richest person in this giant, lonely world—

Means finding you and sharing our love unconditionally.

Truly, as liquid fire melts beyond in great stars of the cosmos,

I think of you, our love.

Beside this hearth you tenderly caressed,

My body and we simmered; then we pressed, against each other,

Heat was our domain!

Nothing can extinguish;

Your warming touch,

A lasting impression,

That means so much.

Bound to be burned,

As we played with fire,

Every thought of those moments will forever stay,

Of crimson...of rose...of fire...of love...

Aaj Bhi Yaad Hai, Tere Naam Ki Tarah

Aaj bhi yaad hai, tere naam ki tarah,

Kya tujhe yaad aati hai meri,

Dekh kar chaand ki taraf?

Aey khuda, mere pyaar ko gehraai toh di,

Par umr lambi dena kyun bhool gaya?

Shukraguzaar toh hai hum, uss yaar ke,

Jisne waqt bitane humare sath, waqt toh nikala,

Warna kya reh jaata aaj yaad karne layak?

Duniya bhar ke ghamon se mehfooz the uski aankhon mein,

Beghar jaise ho gaye lagta hai ab.

Qayamat hai yeh tarq-e-arzoo bhi,

Warna na-ummedi aur thakaan itni na thi zindagi se kabhi.

Sang saathi sa hai wo, wo hai saaya,

Yu hi toh nahi hai pyaar beshumaar.

Koi toh baat hogi,

Aaj bhi yaad hai, naam tera, aayat ki tarah.

Kuch rishte lafzon se nahi toot te,

Pyaar ko kab angoothiyon aur kaagzon ka sahara laga?

Yeh dil ka rishta toh rooh se bandhta hai,

Jadoo harr kisi ke sath mehsoos nahi hota.

Jashn koi raas naa aaye,

Ladte hai roz,

Aur haath mein talvaar bhi nahi!

Yaadon se joojna aasaan bhi toh nahi,

Doobe hai iss kadar,

Kinaare pe aana hi bhool gaye ho maano.

Kyun rahe pyaar hamesha zyada,

Tere liye, kisi bhi aur jazbaat se?

Kaash kadam do chaar chal paate,

Phere tere mann ke..

Mere hisse aayi teri parchayiaan,

Kitne vaade poore karne baaki hai ab,

Iss pyar ko toh kayi zindagiyan lagengi fanah hone ko..

Lahu ke saath behte tere pyaar ko,

Karein kaise alag ragon se apni?

Yun toh insaan harr roz kuch khota hai,

Kisi ke sath se badhkar anmol cheez kya hai lekin?

Yaad unhe kiya jaata hai,

Jinhe bhool gaye ho,

Yun hi toh nahi,

Hichkiyaan aati hongi unhe saara saara din.

Karte hai baatein unse aasmaan ko dekh,

Shayad yahi pahuncha de mera pyaar uss tak,

Shayad yeh hawa hi selha de,

Uske baalon ko meri ungliyon ki taraf se,

Shayad yeh baarish hi bhiga de,

Mere bepanah pyaar se usse.

Nano Fiction 40 : Endless Drought

Memories of you float by from 'Hi' to 'Goodbye',

Without you, life was boring and bland,

And then?! With you, it was technicolor,

And now, I don't recognize colors anymore.

There is no color and there’s no sound.
I cannot smell your fragrance.

I wonder why it can’t be found. 

My way is you and you’re not here.

I search the skies, the faraway oceans,
Hoping the gentle breeze will bring me -

A whisper of your voice,
A glimpse of your aura,
A quiver of your breath,
A ray of your love.

Can you possibly fathom how it feels -
To live without the unparalleled thing,
That you really, truly, genuinely want?
That makes your heart throb and sing?
Yearning, thriving, wanting just to see,

The only one who can end your endless, bliss less drought.

Do you realize how that feels?
To be abandoned, and hollow,
Knowing nothing but to brace yourself,
For the inevitable pain that soon follows.

For this terrible affliction, there is no cure.

The only hope is,

In the next life,

All the clocks will have to have the perfect timing.

Soul mates meet eventually, they say,

For they have the same hiding place.

:)

                                                                                                   Love, Aayesha

Nano Fiction 39 : Happy Anniversary

Have you assimilated someone's words like blood flowing in your veins? No bond is as beautiful as that!

It’s strange how this world works. It’s bizarre how you meet someone, a stranger - and after sometime, that same person becomes the most significant part of your life. Miracles are people. People, I believe, are the worst drugs of all.

You cannot live without them. And, that thought makes your bones wither into nothingness. It makes you rip your heart out of your chest. It makes you die - the thought "What after them?" You are so less without them.

That “I love you" from them makes your heart skip a beat, because in those 3 words, you can hear a reflection of their voice, honest eyes - screaming the same.

You are important to someone. You matter. When you get up, when you sleep, what you eat, how your day goes, what time you eat, all that matters to someone. That is true celebration of a relationship - meaning so much to someone.

Certain days are special than the rest. Anniversaries are milestones you reach in your relationship. Some celebrate in a splashy manner, some forget that the day has any significance altogether, some celebrate alone.

People celebrate engagement anniversaries, marriage anniversaries, etc. Of course, the day you were officially bound in a relationship with a person is significant. It is your commitment and loyalty towards each other - physically, mentally, emotionally.

An anniversary celebration allows you to pull back from your daily grind and relive a moment that changed your life forever. A day you always will remember, cherish and honor in your heart. Since that day, you go tied together, hand in hand through life, sharing everything together. A fairy tale begins, what is dream for others, is your reality. Celebrating year/years of togetherness further becomes a shared responsibility between two people to sustain that feeling for as long as you live.

Love is a miracle, sweet as can be,
That will always remain a complete mystery.
For though it is something that's centuries old,
It cannot be purchased for silver or gold.
But instead must be given of one's own free will,
And received with no promises it must fulfill.
And once it's exchanged in this time-honored way,
There's nothing that love cannot manage to say.
No problems too great and no problems too small,
For love, like a miracle, conquers them all.
And leaves in their place such a feeling of peace,
That joy, just like love, cannot help but increase!