Two of my Poems were published in the prestigious Tuck Magazine in August. Tuck is a political lit, music and arts journal with a difference run by Michael and Valda Organ.
I don’t know how I forgot to share this news on my blog. I do remember posting the original link to my poems on all social channels. I am really enjoying these small memories from my travel in the Himalayas. Something I miss so much. A lot has been put on hold due to lack of funds, a lot is at stake too due to a sudden financial jolt but I have a belief that the hand that taketh also giveth. 🙂
Here is an excerpt from the poem the poem ‘Waiting‘
“a missed turn can lead you to the most unexpected places
and here I was beneath a canopy of dripping leaves,
in the backyard of nowhere, watching a dream unfold…..”
Read the TWO POEMS by clicking here. Also read the other splendid work on the website.
Thank you editors for giving me this wonderful platform.
Meanwhile good things continue to happen. Rebecca Behar, a poet friend from France read one of the poems, written impromptu by me and my mentor friend James Goddard, at a poetry event. Do listen to it by clicking the link below.
A few poems from my debut poetry book ‘Collection 0f Chaos’ (published by James Goddard, Leaky Boot Press) were translated into Italian by Rachel Slade and Alessandro Canzian and read by Rachel at Cena Poetica di Samuel Editore in the beautiful town of Pordenone in northern Italy as part of Samuele Editore’s poetry presentation and ‘poetry dinner’ held at ‘Al Campanile’ restaurant, a 15th century building where many talented poets including Nguyen Chi Trung presented their work.
Rachel Slade reading her Italian translations of poems from my book ‘Collection of Chaos’ during Samuele Editore’s poetry presentation and ‘poetry dinner’ on 27th June, in the beautiful northern Italian city of Pordenone.
Rachel is a young American artist and photographer whose watercolor titled ‘Sea’ is used as the cover illustration for my book. A great friend and brilliant artist, Rachel brought my poems alive in the most poetic of all languages.
Here is one of the poems she translated and read :
You stripped me of my words unravelled them quietly pulled a good seam I guess Took the braid of thread and walked away there wasn’t a single knot a perfect weave of silence and words but how would you know
Hai spogliato me delle mie parole
mi hai dipanata con calma sfilacciata per bene suppongo hai afferrato il filo principale e l’hai tirato non c’era un solo nodo l’intreccio era perfetto di silenzio e di parole ma come facevi a saperlo?
You can listen to her in the video below.
I quickly Googled the lovely city where the event was being held while chatting with Rachel and James as she informed us of the event’s details and sent pictures of the restaurant building last Thursday. I had closed my eyes and imagined how it would feel to be among a group of such talented poets and listen to her read the words that were so close to my heart. I cannot describe the feeling.
June 27th brought immense happiness to me as a writer. To be featured as part of such an important event was like a dream come true and I waited eagerly for an update from Rachel about the reading and her message, when it came, filled me with so much joy.
She wrote : “I have to tell you quickly about yesterday’s reading. Shortly I will send you copies of what I read, and Alessandro will be putting up the video as well… but I really wanted you to know now that people really loved your poems my dear. In fact you have made quite the impression without even being here. Your poems spoke for you and I feel, very strongly, that they spoke for each of us in such a way that as I read them aloud I could feel people responding around me, both the men and women… it was deeply moving. Of course I brought the book and people were very interested in the press (James ) as well as your blog – many people speak, or at least understand, English so they will be visiting… Many people wanted to know more about you (O mysterious one…) and hear more about India, New Delhi, your life, the lives of women there… and so many sensed immediately your strength, your presence and the force and fortitude of authentic poetry….”
Later she commented on a photograph shared on FB, “The poems of Tikuli bestow phantasmagoric superpowers upon the reader………”
What surprised me was the appreciation that poured in via messages and tweets. Poets connecting with me, reading my blog, sharing, reblogging my poems, writing to me, sharing their work. Nothing makes a writer happier than this bonding with fellow writers and I am grateful to each one of them for joining me in my journey through poetry. Thank you Bea Ary and Roberta Lepri, it is a pleasure to know you and read your work. It’s a blessing.
Sometimes in life good things come to us without us expecting them, this was one such occasion—and one of the happiest times of my life. Thank you James for making this happen.
