Author: Sakshi Narula | Genre: Poetry | Pages: 200
In this heartfelt anthology called ‘Bad Poetry and this Loving’, poet Sakshi Narula bares her heart and spills her deepest thoughts onto paper through the choicest of phrases, expressions, and visuals. The amalgamation brings to you a most profound work of poetry in recent times; one that is only plausible by an artist of great creative calibre.
Maybe it is too late. Under the sheets, I sat inside the comfort of a song for too long. Last I heard you became a wall, the only one standing between us. I drew one hundred white roses on it and I
wrote the words, I love you
The book is an ode to self, to the artist within, who seeks peace in chaos, beauty in mundane, and pleasure in catharsis. Such is the poet’s prowess with articulation of her innermost feelings and hurling them at the readers one poetic marvel at a time. The love letters; sometimes poems, sometimes prose, are introspective and inquisitive, a labyrinth of experiences, that are personal but so relevant that you revel in them as your own voice, your own soul’s core unbared, giving a view of the author’s life through her lens, sagaciously.
The poems cover various themes cleverly and the pieces showcase author’s prodigy at being modern yet classic, warm yet refreshing, tender yet raw, and together these create a beautiful path where one would experience loving, breaking, healing, and ultimately, the process of becoming. Here’s a couple of my favorite poems from the collection:
100 APPLES OF BELOVED SOLITUDE
Once where there was love, there are cemeteries.
Yes, all those people are me, people with a tombstone on their chest
and grass growing at their feet.
There are poems about every one of them. I wrote them all
Every version of me that was once in love with someone who never loved me back
Men don’t make it easy for me to live
But then, men don’t make it easy for anyone to live
I wrote five hundred poems about the last one I loved and he still
didn’t know how to love me back
I wrote five hundred poems about him and
he didn’t blink even once or write back
*
END OF POETRY
I don’t want to be a poet
I want to be free
I don’t want to be a lover
I don’t want to be the one who waits
I don’t want to love you anymore
Any more than I love poetry
I want the poetry to end
I want sky at the end of poetry
I want wings
I want to be free
I want to be free
Ultimately, ‘Bad Poetry and This Loving’ is a beautiful and candidly real collection of poems that readers; especially ones looking for healing from pain, from heartache, from loneliness, and from everything unfamiliar, can connect with deeply. It encourages self-love and nurturing, through the blend of words and emotions gracefully. Whether one has read Narula’s previous work or not, this book is must read and highly recommended for those seeking modern engaging poetry. This is the poet’s last creative work and this book seems like a fitting farewell; it does end on a really high note.
About Author
Sakshi Narula is the author of the celebrated poetry collection, Loveish. Born in New Delhi, India she has since lived in over eight cities and three countries. Passionate about art and culture she finds happiness in writing and sketching. With her raw and relatable words she has managed to gain over 30k followers across Instagram and Twitter. Music, sketching and cooking are some of her other passions besides poetry. She calls the beach and the museum her happy place. Sakshi currently resides in Muscat, Oman with her family.
Have you read ‘Bad Poetry and This Loving’? Do share your thoughts below.
P.S.: I received a review copy from the author, but the review remains unbiased.
