THEME: 4/5 WRITING STYLE: 3.5/5 LANGUAGE: 3.5/5 ENTERTAINMENT QUOTIENT: 3.5/5
My musings
It has been quite some time since I last picked up a poetry collection. Ravi Kumar’s Kaagaz Ke Mahal, Isha Snehal’s Why I Scream in Verse, and Prashant V Srivastava’s Jo Tum Kaho are some of my favorite collections that I have come around to read in recent years. Fortunately, my first read of the year is Poetess Neeraja Kona’s collection of poems and select micro-fiction titled Waves, Sand and Magic.
Read on to know more about the book and about my experience of reading it.
What to expect?
Expect a book that talks about love in its most selfless, innocent, passionate, and magical form. Expect a book that is essentially a collection of poems about love, about being in love and the magic of love. Expect a book that also explores some other themes like self-love, memories, and hope, albeit in small doses. Expect a book that also has a generous amount of love-themed micro fiction. And finally, expect a collection that is expressive and intense.
Who can read?
The book can be picked by beginners who have an interest in poetry because of its emotive writing and simple language.
Who should read?
Waves, Sand and Magic is for someone who is in love and wants to bask in the glory of that beautiful feeling. Read it slowly to embrace the words and their meanings carefully. Reflect on those words, pregnant with sentiments, and relish the after taste for as long as you like.
Think of reading this book as you would drink wine. Let its words tickle your heart. Let its taste linger in your mind. And just enjoy!
A quiet ode to memories
Memories are what shape us, memories are what define us. The good ones, the bad ones, the beautiful ones, and the chaotic ones – this collection is the writer’s tribute to the memories that have made her who she is. And need I say, it’s a beautiful reason to write? – not for anyone else but for oneself, not to impress but to express.
Love is a beautiful thing
The poems and micro-fiction of this collection describe the all-consuming power of love and how easily it envelops us, leaving us drenched in its warm embrace. Love is the theme that this collection revolves around and many eloquent poems like Time, Destination, Pen, Magic, You, Longing, Warrior, Footprints, etc. stand testimony to it.
My favorite poems
Though most of the poems and nonfiction in the book are expressive, there are some that particularly stand out. The below ones are some of my favorites from the collection.
‘Magic’ is a surreal poem that captures the essence of intense passionate love; one which makes the most mundane of things assume magical mythical proportions.
‘Reason’ is another beautiful one that talks about a rare but relatable feeling of ecstasy. The over-joyous lightness of being when you keep playing your favorite song on loop while thinking of somebody; when you tend to smile without no rhyme or reason thinking of that somebody.
Another similar poem is ‘Movie’ that describes how love has that uncanny habit of reminding us of our favorite movie; how it makes us live our lives like an off-screen version of that very movie.
‘Airport’ is yet another beautiful piece of writing that took me to the same place which looking at vast gorgeous mountain vistas takes me to. Humility is a powerful emotion and reading this poem kindles a kind of humility that leaves you with goosebumps. Thinking about the thousands of people that one comes across in airports and their thousand different stories, one is certainly inclined to feel humble about their small and insignificant part in the grander scheme of things.
Not just poetry
Another thing that appeals to me is the pleasant addition of micro fiction or tiny tales. These tales range from two to eight lines and encompass a varied variety of emotions and feelings.
The other themes
While love is the core of this book, some other themes have been explored too, albeit in limited doses. A poem that I particularly enjoyed enunciates the mysterious ways of fate and talks about how destiny catches up with us when we least expect it to.
Self-love is love too
A couple of entries also preach about the most important type of love i.e., self-help. The poetess reminds the reader to never forget to flirt with oneself as it is the longest relationship that one will ever be in – the relationship with oneself.
What did I like?
Most pieces of poetry are accompanied by thoughtfully curated photos that enhance the reading experience. They say that a picture is worth a thousand words, and this surely holds true for most pictures in this collection.
The relatability factor
As a reader, a book has the ability to touch me, if I can relate to the things, feelings, or emotions that it talks about. In Waves, Sand and Magic, the parts where the poetess talks about cherishing memories especially appeal to me as I am a firm believer in the power of memories in helping us sail through tough waters.
Is this book meant for you?
If you are truly, deeply, madly in love with someone, this is definitely the book for you. It makes you experience and re-live love in its mushiest, coziest, and cheesiest avatar.
That which left me puzzled
One aspect that truly left me guessing throughout the course of the book is the mention of the word Me at the end of every piece. I am sure there must be a reason and some greater significance but both of them eluded the reader in me.
Also, there were some pictures, which I am sure must carry some significance in the poetess’s life but whose meaning remained cryptic and mysterious to me.
In the end
In the end, Waves, Sand and Magic is a collection of poetry that is melodious and lyrical, that makes you wonder and feel, and that reminds you of beautiful times, and the all-encompassing magic of love.
Final verdict
Read it if you are truly madly deeply in love.
Pick the book if
- You enjoy reading poetry.
- You are a romantic at heart.
- You want to gift something romantic for your loved one.
- You enjoy micro fiction.
- You are in love and want to read something that reminds you of that magical feeling.
Skip the book if
- You don’t like poetry.
- You don’t want to read a collection of pieces that are mostly about love.
Can’t wait to read it? Buy your copy of Waves, Sand and Magic using the link below.
