Overall thoughts
Some people may think of poetry as a lesser form of literature, and they do so to their detriment. Poetry can provide fundamental insights into the lived experience of a person. It also encourages the reader to explore their own emotions, insights, and reflections on the topic. Case in point is Dr. Shruti Shankar Gaur’s inaugural book Four Decades: The Prose of My Life.
In this book, Dr. Gaur plunges headlong into the depths of motherhood. Bravely, she bares her soul to the reader and unabashedly describes her own struggles with being a mother. There are no answers here – but rest assured, the poetry serves as a way finder to the many questions, anxieties and trepidations faced by young mothers (parents) worldwide. But it does not stop there.
As I plunged into these poems, as father of now two grown kids, I could not help but wish I had this book as a resource a few decades ago. It would have made me a more understanding partner; it would have helped me see life through the eyes of a young mother who seemed to “have it all under control” but who struggled with the many questions and apprehensions of every mother. Dr. Guar boldly asks questions like “Will I be a good mother? Can I be a mother, wife, daughter and professional? Will I ever be good at any of those, or would I just get by? Is getting by an option?”
Poem #8, The Unblinded Love beautifully and subtly answered all these questions
My love mantra is simple,
Love begins with self,
Love yourself so much
That it spills to the world
Loving yourself means
Embracing yourself in all completeness
What an apropos epiphany!
The book
The book is divided into four sections, each section echoing the deliberations, reflection, and questions of each decade of Dr. Gaur’s life. Section 1 is titled Universal Love and provides the reader with a view into every person’s dilemma – understanding their place in the world and searching for their sense of self. Section 2, Inner Chaos dives several layers deeper into the onion but bringing the message closer home. As a poet myself, reading poem #14 titled Writing really resonated with me.
Writing is a sort of meditation
I write in a state of flow
I believe in every word that comes through me
My writing mirrors my authenticity
Simply brilliant.
In Section 3 titled Hopes and Dreams, Dr. Gaur shares deeply profound thoughts about how the individual’s hopes and dreams intersect and, often, power the hopes and dreams of the world. Poem #24, What Are We Becoming should be required reading for every single citizen of the world. Whilst poem #27, has within its DNA the seeds of peace and contentment that could be planted into the life of the reader.
Finally, Section 4, Peace and Surrender reveals the poet’s third eye. In Hinduism, the third eye is the gate that leads to the inner realms and spaces of higher consciousness and spirituality. The third eye often symbolizes a state of enlightenment. It is this type of enlightenment we find in poems like #32, The Pattern of My Life
I realized I wasn’t meant to have roots
Instead, I was meant to have wings,
I’m not sure if it’s good or bad trait to be
If I should castigate or celebrate,
Thus, I acknowledge, and reverberate,
It’s just who I am and will always be
Wrap-up
In conclusion, it was a joy to read Four Decades: The Prose of My Life and I highly recommend this book for anyone looking to find new depth and breadth in their own life. The book is available on Amazon in Kindle and Paperback editions.
If you would like a review of your book of poetry, please feel free to connect with Bria Sankarsingh on LinkedIn.
We hope you enjoy the read and we look forward to your feedback and comments. - Send us a message on our LinkedIn page; - SG Productions on LinkedIn: https://lnkd.in/gkFW2ZNX
(The views contained in this article are solely those of the author, intended for opinion based editorial purposes and/or entertainment only. They do not represent the views of any organization we are otherwise associated with.)
#sankarsinghgonsalvesproductions #creativityunleashed #complexityunpacked #writers #writerscommunity #sgp2023 #thankyou #diversityandinclusion #sgp23 #immigrants #authors #poetry #change #community #respect #society #diversity #experience #highereducation #writerscommunity #poetrycommunity #communityandculture #socialcommentary #writing #publications #creativity