HUES FROM CUES BY VANDANA SAXENA - #BLOGCHATTER #WRITEAPAGEADAY
A
Complete Poetry Writing Workbook for Budding Poets
“Sharing hues would not have been possible if there had
been no clues.” The first line in the book gives the reader an idea of what to
expect from this connoisseur of poetry who took four decades to bring out the
writer within her. For it was then she realised the truth that it is never too late
to follow one’s passion, and from that point onwards, she never looked back.
Vandana Saxena has made her debut book extra valuable by
sharing her thoughts on how to write Poetry. Her book covers seven sections, starting with the Prologue. Section two gives an elaborate introduction to Poetry, along with reasons
to write poetry. According to her, “Poetry makes you a better writer”. She
moves on to the elements that make up a poem, right from its title to its
rhythm and rhyme scheme, ending with its structure and form. What is unique
about this book is that the poet not only reveals the different steps to write
a poem, but ends the section by explaining how to punctuate a poem as well.
This could well be useful to novice poets who want to explore poetry.
Section three deals with the Shades of Love in all its magnificence,
along with the prompts that drove Ms. Saxena to pen each poem. The poignancy of ‘Will
You Be My Wife?’ and ‘The Dinner Date’ leaves a choke in the throat, as does
the separation in ‘Goodbye’. Love is a many splendoured thing, as the old song
went. This section waxes eloquent on self-love, unfinished romance and
unconditional passion.
Nature poetry ruled the roost during the Romantic Era in English Literature, exemplified by stalwarts like Wordsworth, Keats and Shelley. Nature is the theme in Section four which begins with ‘Black’, a colour connected with negativity, a colour that “is beyond just itself, but usually misunderstood.” Whether it is ‘Border’ where “hearts have an identical patter”, or the tender ’Jasmine’ a flower that can laugh, according to the poet, or the two poems that empathise with Mother Earth, asking her to save and heal herself, there is a beauty that comes through in the form, which blends perfectly with the various prompts adhered to.
Section five is titled ‘Cues of Life’, each cue suggesting
a shade of life. ‘No. Not the Victim’ reveals the stigma of sexual harassment,
while ‘Separation for Happiness’ illustrates the relief of separation. In this
section there are poems that catch the sparkle of a woman, especially in ‘The
Fire in Her’, “the burning glow” that is irrepressible. One of the most
touching poems is ‘The Hidden Vampire’ which deals with a problem that has become
part and parcel of the tinsel world of celluloid.
‘Poetic Drabbles’ demonstrates the flair of the poet to
compress whole ideas into exactly a 100 words each, as she sets out to explore
journeys, success, adventure. ‘Truth or Dare’ sends a chill, as “water drops
created a mysterious mist” ending with a thriller twist. A poem that resonates
with me is ‘Make Me Shiver’ which came out of a situation where a man calls the
poet’s profession a hobby, and she promptly shuts him up. Truly exemplary!
The final section ‘Poetry Shots’ wraps the book up
perfectly, using myriad forms of poetry like the Acrostic poem, the five-lined
Cinquain, the Endrhyme, the Limerick, the Tanka, the Haiku as well as the
lesser known Pathya vat from Cambodia, the Punnett (with a biological theme)
and the syllabic Whitney, all short poems which showcase the care that has gone
into the creation of each.
This is a book that goes beyond the normal book of poems. It is a generous gesture that serves to instruct new poets, holding their hands and guiding them across the hallowed path of poesy.
Postscript: I won 'Hues from Cues' for a contest on Instagram. I thank the author, Ms. Vandana Saxena, for the same.
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