finding peace in the verses
In recent times the elitism of poetry got destroyed and poetry, in general, has become more accessible, thanks to social media. That’s a good part, the bad part is the disjointed sentences with zero-depth or metaphors in it that are now regarded as poetry. They are light and easy, fun to read but easily forgettable too. It doesn’t linger like the aftertaste of coffee. That’s why I stay away from contemporary poetry. Most of these are a compilation of cheesy phrases, unoriginal ideas. But I still have my favorite poets. Give me a book of Ocean Vuong or Dorothea Lasky and I will devour their works and cry in the corner. Maybe what I look for is something to read and then think about it for a long time. Something that would trigger me and the emotions will come up and find their meaning. I just cannot read poetry in one go. I take it slowly, like some invisible drug injected in my vein swimming and flowing until it reaches my heart.
I was introduced to Priyam Acharya’s works back in 2019 by a friend, and honestly, I was a tad bit apprehensive. The book was filled with metaphors and hidden meaning, yet it was so simple and easy to understand. What I love about her work is that she writes without any pretentiousness. Her recent book “The way that we are” was far more than what I expected. Her writing evolved and is far stronger than before. She unfolded many aspects of love, spirituality, embracing her own identity, which holds the central theme of her work, beautifully punctuated with her short proses. unlike the kind of works we see around most her works are not shallow or one dimensional. Even as she talked about love between two people, she maintained the fierce individual personalities without overlapping one another. The dreamy writing style struck the right chords as I went on reading and I think this is the perfect starting point to start reading poetry for beginners.
ABOUT THE BOOK-
‘The Way that We Are’, is Priyam Acharya’s second collection of free verses. Developed and written almost entirely during the year of the pandemic, every work in the compilation offers a perspective into the vulnerable side of human beings – making us the way that we, are by touching upon themes like urban loneliness, complicated relationships, spiritual questions, struggles with self-care and mental wellness. My New Home and Elements speak of loneliness and intense longing for someone you love, while A Whirlpool in my Sparkling Coffee and Affogato offer a playful conversation between two lovers as they revel in new-found love. Box of Memories explores the pain of a dead relationship while The Perfect God among others makes you ponder over the relationship between man and God.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR-
A lawyer by qualification, artist, and writer by passion, Priyam describes herself as dreamy yet determined. After having spent seven years in legal practice, she finally decided to take the leap of faith and began her journey of pursuing her dreams that led her to art and writing. Priyam loves to read, travel and experience diverse cultures and the history behind the places she visits. Working on her first book 'Seasons' has been a process of self-discovery for her. Finding her inspiration in the most random events, daily objects, and people and the way they behave, she believes that she’s at her happiest and most peaceful state of being while she writes or paints abstracts.