Paperback₹295

Four Gardens and Other Poems

2017124 pages

About the book

Four Gardens and other poems is a selection from poems written between 2004 and 2016. They are divided thematically into seven sections: ‘Poetry’ ‘Roots’ ‘Mirror’ ‘City’ ‘Angst’ ‘Hope’ and ‘Four Gardens’. The subjects range from the personal to the political and philosophical, meditative ruminations to retelling and reinterpreting of myths and legends, both ethnic specific and universal. Some of the poems in this volume express the inner conflicts of the poet and her attempt to find a resolution. She has lived through the violent political struggles of the Northeast, has been exposed to the harsh realities of being considered an alien in one's own country, and faced the stark facelessness of city life. But through all these, she realises her true identity as a human being, created, valued and nurtured by the Creator. The poems conclude with a note of hope and peace in a world of continualconflicts.

“Ranging from the lyrical and sensual to the harsh and plucky, from thepersonal to the political… the poems in Four Gardens and other poems are infused with a rich mosaic of imagery, cultural nuances, social ethos, group laments, angst and reconciliation that confront both particular and imaginary circumstances in the daily acts of life….
Like Pablo Neruda and his counterparts, Malsawmi Jacob’s poems shimmer with an atypical sweet touch of simplicity, openness and lucidity that mark her poetic idioms; subtle, specific and razor-sharp where the poetic corpus retains an inviting discourse…
There are seven sections in this ‘moments of passion’; all parts are planned and organized so well that the entire corpus looks like a well-knit exotic fabric. …Her musings range from identity crisis to peace in the land; dislocation to rehabilitation; death to life, and life’s small acts to roses sold on the roadside.She doesn’t give up dreaming, even when she accounts for the river of life passing through a gutter. She blurs territorial engagements with the state and looks at the stars….
The poet registers her faith, hope, dreams, and cultural memories again and again by subtle imagery, metaphors and folk myths of her homeland.”
Dr Jaydeep Sarangi
Bilingual poet-academic and translator, Kolkata
“Your poems convey…the anguish… you have experienced. The language is spot on and poem construction has a flow that is indeed credit worthy. On the whole my reading left me moved and that says much about the potent strength of your writing.”
Ray Titus
Author, Bangalore
“You have simply mesmerized me! One would love to lap up every word and line that has flown from the pen of your sweet heart.”
U Atreya Sarma
Chief Editor, Muse India e-journal, Hyderabad