Poetry, over
the years has taken various forms and
hues. Today we even speak of the prose poetry. Yet, one quality that can
be described as classic and which removes any doubt as to whether a piece is
‘poetry’ is the rhyming in it- “identity in sound of some part, especially the
end of words or lines of verse” says the dictionary definition of rhyme.
Seeing the modern trend, this classic ability could
be described as a “dying art.”However, to my mind as long as poetry exists, a
trace of ‘rhyme’ will always remain in the vicinity, contributing its
fragrance.
It is
against this background that we can rejoice in the natural flair of poet
Padmaja Iyengar or Paddy as she is known in poetic circles( muse india, boloji,
Rate my literature) for her classic ability in rhyming effortlessly. What sets
this poet apart from others is the sheer diversity of the subjects dealt with
by her, from satire, music, humour,
movie reviews to management concepts and the little things that matter and
bother “the common man” (of the legendary RK Lakshman) in his day to day life.
All these
and more are available in a reading of Paddy’s
maiden poetry collection- P Enchants (P-En-Chants by Padmaja
Iyengar-Paddy. Cyberwit.net, Allahabad.
ISBN
978-81-8253-568-8 Price Rs. 300/- Pages 203).
As the subject of our discussion
is the classic ability of rhyming, I am focusing and sharing with readers the
verses from this angle in the book that simply took my breath away-
Let's look at some of the lines in the
poem"Helplessness" that describe the plight of one caught in a
dentist's chair
"I lie
with my mouth agape
with pain in
my neck's nape
i stare
vacantly at the ceiling
with an
acutely helpless feeling.
unable to
let out even a "ouch!"
Here am I on
a dentist's couch
for an
experience really chilling
Go,get
yourself a dental filling! "
"A
poet's dilemma" traces the struggle in a poet's mind to get out the
appropriate words-
"A
poem is all I wish to write
but words
remain out of sight
I blame the
room and the light
and with my
creativity I fight!
My words and
ideas don't link
Lines and
verses seem to kink
in anger a
few things I fling
this
writer's block does sting! "
"In
what a life...!"the plight of the common man or "aam aadmi" is portrayed:-
"Electricity
without power
manholes
without cover
Taps without
water
roads
without side walks
Doctors
without principles
politicians
without scruples
leaders
without a mission
a country
without a vision "
The poem
"Public defecation-an Indian birth right!" puts the stark reality in
our face as India aspires for a swach Bharat!
"Whenever
he sees a hollow space or wall
he just
cannot resist the nature's call
he doesn't
care where, why or how
it has got
to be done here and now..
no matter
which wall-be it a school or a mall!
The poet has
dedicated a separate section to pay tributes- to cricket and cricketers. to
music and musicians ,scientists, humourists and others.Here I am sharing just a
few lines from the poem "An ardent fan's tribute to P.G Wodehouse"
"Subtle
humour's ultimate powerhouse
was none
other than P.G.Wodehouse!
I can just
go on and on
PG's humour
ever a turn on
thanks
Wodehouse for making me smile
and laugh in
circs utterly sad and vile! "
Verses from
another poem from this section that I felt
needed to be shared is "To my son Hemant...Ever an inspiration.."
"Life
played with me all sorts of games
giving it at
different times different names
challenges,problems,
issues they were called
as I kept on
getting more and more mauled...
Thank you
son for always being there
for me, with
your love concern and care
and please
know that I am there for you
waiting in
gratitude to return your due..."
Having read
quite a bit of Paddy’s work (Rate my Literature . com & other internet sites), I have always been a fan of her great sense of
humour. But there were parts in the collection to which I had not been
exposed (perhaps written in an earlier
period). These were a revelation and provided for me the sense of novelty I was seeking. One
such section titled "some
stories" tell entire stories in verses- some dipped in humour, some in
irony, while others touching and shocking.
In the poem titled "Athithi devo Bhava" (Guest is like
God) the
lines that tell the tale of a 'Casanova guide' go
like this:
"He was
a tourist guide much sought after:
his wit and
humour evoked much laughter
foreign
tourists were often referred to him
because of
his English knowledge and vim
At last with
this woman he had his way
as she lay,
unable to do anything or say
sated and
fulfilled,he fell asleep
to get up
later with a hangover deep
They handed
him a large sized envelope
that had
some cash, a note and a rope
he pocketed
the cash and opened the letter
and what he
read there gave him a jitter
"Welcome
to the world of aids" it read
"Use
the rope to hang yourself"she said
Now a few
lines from the poem "Communication" in the section "Some management Mumbo
Jumbo"-
"The way
we communicate
tends to
often indicate
how well we
can express
how well we
can impress
Another
novelty in the book is a section devoted to movie reviews in verses! some lines
of the review on the film "Barfi"read as follows-
"His
handling of the film- sensitive
with a story
line that is moving and positive!
This film
presents you a slice of life
with lessons
to laugh amidst strife
"Barfi"leaves
you with a huge smile
that stays
with you for quite a while!
my rating
for the movie is a 5 star
for
direction and acting above par!
Finally I am
sharing verses from the last section of
the book which is titled the same as that of the book-P Enchants:-
Giving us a
glimpse of her banking career, she
writes
I, Me,
Myself
Allured by the
luscious lucre’s call
I entered
the buzzing banking hall
For quite a
while, I had a ball
Robbing
peter and paying Paul!
Then I heard
a higher call
And decided
to chuck it all!
The poet
confesses to her soft corner for books in this poem...
My Books
My books are
my treasure
My love for
them has no measure
I hold them
close to my heart
In my life
they play a key part
Books give
me silent companionship
They promise
me lifelong friendship
They are
there for me in times of need
Ever ready
to provide me an enjoyable read!
Then some
insights into life in general, looked at from a banking perspective and the
poet's take on the obsession of Indians to be fair and lovely-
P& L
Analysis
I often ask
my mind to refrain
From
thoughts of loss and gain
In life, we
win some, lose some
To rave and
rant would be dumb
FAIR AND
Lovely
Let’s get
over the silly obsession
For beauty
and a fair complexion
To get a
fair and lovely face
Here are
some simple ways
The goodness
of mind and heart
Plays a very
important part
In making
one fair and lovely
And giving a
demeanour lively
So throw
away all those creams
That sell
unreal fairness dreams
Let positive
thoughts and feelings flow
To give the
face a calm and serene glow
If Bapu was
amidst us today,what would he have said? Interesting thoughts!
An
impassioned plea from Bapu
So folks, just leave me alone!
Don’t wear
my dhothi, topi and clone
At the
Rajghat, please don’t gather to mourn
Let not my
grave flowers or wreaths adorn!
My statues,
pictures and birthday celebration
Have all now
become caricatured aberration
I refuse to
be the father of this corrupt nation
Where the
reality and my ideals have no relation!
In the
poem” School life” the poet brings out
the typical school day experiences that we have all had at some time or other:-
Mom was
often my morning alarm
Woke me up
with a milk cup warm
But getting
up from bed was tough
Unless
warned by dad’s office rough!
The most
tragic moments in school were
Being caught
with surprise tests unawares!
And the best
news always a Godsend
Was of the
PT teacher being absent!
Friends made
during those days of childhood
Remain ours
lifelong for times bad and good
For we were
partners in all sorts of “crimes”
That were
innocent pranks of good old times!
The travails
and tribulations of a new joinee on her first day is recorded in the poet’s trade mark style:-
First day at
work
When this
rank new comer
Encountered
an irate customer
On the very
first day at the bank
Her spirits
to the lowest ebb sank
And the
‘bank job’ lost its glamour
Customer
queries had her ruffled
Complex
accounts had her baffled
She realized
banking was no cake walk
And client
servicing , not just sweet talk
We all give
and receive gifts. But what does it mean to this poet?
Gifts
For me gifts
are sacred and special
Not anything
artificial or superficial
When I gift
something to someone
With it, a
bit of my heart too is given
The
purposelessness of continuing a relationship that has no future is articulated
in the poem “Future Imperfect”
A
relationship without a future
Can be a
terrible mental torture
as it
meanders meaninglessly
and prolongs
quite senselessly
Although P
Enchants as a book, is predominantly
about light hearted stuff laced with a lot of humour, there are some lines
which articulate an underlying pain that makes
a deep impact on the reader.This is evident in the verses of the next
two poems :-
Rejection
My life has
crossed expiry date
For a Higher
call I eagerly wait
This waiting
is something I hate
My name
awaits the prefix “Late”
How does one
get relief from the physical and mental/emotional pains in life? Poet has given
suggestion for patiently healing oneself-
Patient(ly)
Heal Thyself
My aches
with painkillers did I alleviate
From a daily
routine did I hardly deviate
I never
gobbled up everything on a plate
My hunger
pangs with nutrients did I sate
For
loneliness there is no cure
Worry is
another disease pure
Both, one
has to simply endure
Or distract
them with some allure
At last I
have found my panacea
I write and
that gives me euphoria
My mind is
now a lovely playground
Thoughts and
words frolic around
We , Indians
have heard many times , over and over again of the deep and eternal love of
Krishna and Radha. No one knows whether these characters are a myth or reality..
Myth..?
Reality..?
Her tongue
moistened lips
He savours
them in sips
As her eyes
meet his
Their looks
caress and kiss
As he plays
a tune on his flute
She stands
transfixed and mute
Yet the
music makes her sway
In enjoyment
and abandon gay
In the lines
that I have quoted from the poem “Don’t Wait!” the concern of safety of women,
the problem of stalking and unwelcome
attention is discussed:-
As she
walked home everyday
She sensed
being stalked all the way
She had a
pepper spray
That she
carried everyday
All prepared
and set
To let it
out like a jet
On his
salivating face
And put him
in his place!
We all know
the Indian judiciary is ill famous for its
inordinate delay (Justice delayed is justice denied).The problem when it
comes out in the words of the poet reads thus:-
Justice
Delayed…
Civil cases
languish in courts for years
Leaving the
hapless petitioners in tears
Advocates
merrily thrive
On loopholes
that deprive
We all have
moments which we can describe as “ Pure Bliss”. Let us see what this is for the
poet :-
Newspapers
and sips from a coffee mug
Make me feel
snug like a bug in a rug
With my
heels on the cool floor well dug
And the
world news before my eyes chug
How does one
handle the fear of death?-read on...
Fear,
Affirmation
When one’s
born
One’s sure
to die
This is a
truth
None can
deny
Then why
fear death?
Why fear the
unknown?
Life here is
God’s loan
To be repaid
all alone!
In the lines
taken from the poem mentioned below Paddy fiercely defends the right to write
the poetry she wants without being apologetic about it... She then, in the next
poem quoted below, exhorts us all to write
I too write
poems. So what…?
To write about
social issues , I consider my duty
Because of
this, some say, my poems lack “Beauty”
Poets to
their surroundings are sensitive and aware
Should they
not therefore, their views on issues air?
Finally I
have this to say to those
That advise
me to stick to prose
You adorn
poetry with love and grace
But I will
continue in my rebellious ways.
Write Away!
Without
writing I cannot live
This I
wholeheartedly believe
Writing
pleasure
Has no
measure
My dear
writers out there
Write away
without a care
On anything
And
everything
That you
desire to share
That
Paddy gives feedback to each and every writer is well
known to all who have visited her site "Rate my Literature.com" Hence
it is not surprising that she conveys
exasperation over those who simply do not give feedback..
On Feedback
I wonder why
folks tend to be slack
When it
comes to posting a feedback
On the
pieces they read with such relish
not knowing,
it’s their feedback I cherish
A feedback
helps in knowing
The
direction in which I am going-
Whether the
reader is able to connect
With what my
mind is trying to reflect
The lines
below have been taken from the poem written by the poet about her granddaughter
and the lost tooth-
Ria’s two
Front Tooth Gone…!
Despite two
front teeth gone
Riya not a
bit forlorn
The missing
teeth took their toll
Left her
gums with a gaping hole.
When Ria
woke up in the morning
Lo and
behold a surprise was waiting
Under her
bed she found
A gift
wrapped box round
I have
chosen to include and quote the following
lines from the poetry collection as it depicts the noble intention of the poet
to serve people while here on this earth and also after leaving this abode-
One Last
Wish
I do not
know my worth
As a human
on this earth
But it is my
burning desire
Before I am
consigned to fire
That my
organs help those in dearth
In conclusion, I would like to state that the book " Paddys Enchants" is a
testimony to the fact that the classic ability of rhyming is very much ‘alive
and kicking’. Reading the lines of this talented poet who forayed in to poetry
quite late, after a distinguished banking career, removes any doubts in the
minds of the reader as to the future of rhyming. I am sure the younger
generation would be inspired to follow in her footsteps and enhance their
ability in this aspect of poetry.
