BLESSEDLY CLOSE TO REALITY

 

I feel very delighted for having an opportunity to review a book written by the Pakistani author Sadia Riaz Sehole who is a teacher, researcher and a utopian who finds herself absorbed in the world of ideas.

The book name is RED SEEPS (Droplets Of Doubt, Destiny And Devotion In Verse). This book is the realization of a dream that she has nurtured for long.

Looking at the book’s front cover, you will notice that an oyster resting on sand with a beautiful pearl inside it which defines how delicately the poetess has framed the book, writing each word with utmost clarity, precision and love.

When I first picked the book, I had very less expectations because I didn’t know what to expect from the book but when I flipped through the pages, I knew, I am reading the perfect book.

 Red Seeps is a collection of 55 poems (109 pages), which is very easy to understand, relatable, identifiable and also these collections of poems ranges from different varieties and different styles. The collection of poems is real remarkable for their innate beauty and heightened awareness about pain and creativity felt.

This book was a complete surprise package for me as the best part about the book that I liked too much were the pictures and paintings added in the book with every poem. Every painting was giving the poems a very artistic feel. Familiar emotions and relationships are creatively explored in many of the poems in a subtle way.

Each black and white image too is astonishing and perfectly suits the title of the poem. Each image is illustrating the poem and putting the reflection on to the theme and making the book captivating despite its disturbing darkness.

 Coming to the poems, I felt that the titles to every poem have been well thought of. The poem titled “ME” is very much pertinent. It seems as the author has tried to construct her personality in this poem and also by this poem a reader can learn to value her/his self-worth. This poems explains that we must be happy within ourselves and one should be self-ideal. Few lines of the poem from title ME-

”I neither look too good,

Nor talk too wise.

I am who I am,

Though, I strive to improve.

Or, at least, I try to search,

Deep within me as can be,

For someone else hidden down there,

Still, so far, I don’t know how to be anyone else.

I can only be happy in being Me”.

 

I would like to appreciate the poetess for not choosing a single style to write on. Her free verses are momentary. And her thoughts are refined but it hits so hard and deeper. The poems are ‘I-centric’. Her quiet words give voice to all silent sufferers whether they are male or female. 

One of her poem that haunts is ‘Silent Screams’.  

“Alone and exiled/Disdained and assailed…..

Soundless ache like boundless sands

and

Emptiness all around/Simply because I am too big to cry.”

These lines simply justify the reality of society conditioning where if we feel like bursting into tears, we can’t even cry because we don’t let even children cry saying ‘Grown up boys/girls don’t cry, how can we cry!

Talking about the language, language used is lily-white, syntax and idiom used are very stunning. The poems are short, some of only four lines and all are simply crafted. 

Red Seeps is a very well-illustrated book with a perceptive foreword by the noted Indian poet Vinita Agrawal.

Expecting and waiting for more and more books from the poetess!

I would highly recommend to read this book

https://www.amazon.in/Red-Seeps-Droplets-Destiny-Devotion/dp/817273932X/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=red+seeps&qid=1615307707&s=books&sr=1-1