And quietly flows...

Good anthologies of poetry are rare; good anthologies of Indian poetry in English (original or translation) rarer still. In this collection are some of the best-known women writers of contemporary Indian poetry, in 10 languages including English. The poems are mostly short and simply written; and often pack a punch even when they are quiet and reflective. You will not get in this book a full introduction to any one poet or school of poetry, but it will repay the reader who likes to take small sips. Here are a few lines from two poems, by a Gujarati and a Bengali poet, respectively. n

‘Snapshot’
by Panna Naik

Today I’m happy
Why I cannot tell.
Can this joy
be photographed, framed,
and hung upon
a bedroom wall?

‘These Fond Faces like Clouds’
by Nabaneeta Dev Sen

I cannot bear to watch
My people become old

With naked eyes I cannot bear to see
These familiar faces dissolve like clouds.
Around the pools of the eyes, pond scum gathers
Brows drawn up like a dead bird’s wings
Lie flat on their faces
Lips dry up like raw fruit torn y storms
Drying in the dust
How everything dries
How everything flies away with the wind
Paper shreds, everything
...

INTERIOR DECORATION
POEMS BY 54 WOMAN FROM 10 LANGUAGES
Editors: Ammu Joseph et al
Publisher: Women Unlimited
Pages: 336
Price: Rs 395