Author Trial and Mary Oliver’s Wisdom

Dear Reader,

The latest addition to my library is Devotions (The Selected Poems of Mary Oliver) from 1963-2015. I received the book yesterday afternoon and by the evening I was turning pages, picking up random poems, playing a page-number game. I felt like a child constantly sticking my fingers in my favourite chocolate cake and yet unable to have enough of it. I haven’t felt this way about a book in ages. I find myself flipping between stories, barely able to distinguish one flavour from another. In that sense, Mary Oliver comes as a sigh of relief.

It makes me think of my own writing and my debut middle grade fiction that was released on 15 October. As a writer what I fear most is my work falling into the abyss of banality. Every time someone texts to tell me they’ve bought the book, I begin to wonder what if !

This morning, I came across a post by Elif Shafak, in which she contemplates if we’d still write or create if there were no audience. I’ve done that for a long time in my life, filling diaries with poems and musings and what not! It was my favourite pastime growing up. Nobody read my poems, sometimes I sent some to magazines and papers. A few were accepted, but the rest were mailed back, accompanied or unaccompanied by a critique. None of this mattered. I’m not sure it’s the same anymore. The world is slowly turning into a circus and we all want to be the stars and not extras. That is also what Shafak suggests – that it is only natural to want readers.

But then, I open Oliver on page sixty and she writes… I Own a House

I own a house, small but comfortable. In it is a bed, a desk, a kitchen, a closet, a telephone. And so forth—you know how it is: things collect.

Outside the summer clouds are drifting by, all of them with vague and beautiful faces. And there are the pines that bush out spicy and ambitious, although they do not even know their names. And there is the mockingbird; over and over he rises from his thorn-tree and dances—he actually dances, in the air. And there are days I wish I owned nothing, like the grass.

Oh, for Mary Oliver’s wisdom. Only if!

A sense of ownership evokes a feeling of needing to be read. But how lovely would it be to believe that I no longer own my words once they have left me. How that would set me free! Like the grass. Only if!

From Elif Shafak to Mary Oliver and from one writer friend to another- I believe our viewpoints are largely formed by the times we live in, the company we keep and the paths of our personal beliefs.

For now, I’m going ahead with Shafak while holding on tight to Oliver’s wisdom. We are doing a small book launch for Kuhu Learns to Deal With Life at the Gaiety Theatre, Shimla on 8 November at 2.30 PM, IST. It’s a good time to be in the city and I’d be thrilled if you could join me.

Also, November has been declared the Young Birders’ Month in India to introduce children to the bright and fascinating world of birds. Do you know that Kuhu enjoys drawing just about anything, but her favourite is birds? She also loves watching them from her window seat in the classroom. If you want to know more fun facts about her, consider purchasing the book at the following link.

Kuhu Learns to Deal With Life

Until we meet again, stay safe and happy!