Essential Readings & Study Guide: Poems about Social Justice, Women’s Rights, and the Environment by K.V. Dominic

Synopsis

“K. V. Dominic Essential Readings” gathers for the first time the three most important works of poetry from this shining new light of contemporary Indian verse in English: “Winged Reason,” “Write Son, Write” and “Multicultural Symphony.” A fourth collection of 22 previously unpublished poems round out a complete look at the first 12 years of Dominic’s prolific and profound verse. Each poem includes unique Study Guide questions suitable for South Asian studies curricula.

Written in free verse, each of his poems makes the reader contemplate on intellectual, philosophical, spiritual, political, and social issues of the present world. Themes range from multiculturalism, environmental issues, social mafia, caste-ism, exploitation of women and children, poverty, and corruption to purely introspective matters. From the observation of neighborhood life to international events, and everyday forgotten tragedies of India, nothing escapes the grasp of Dominic’s keen sense of the fragility of life and morality in the modern world.

My review:

This poetry book is one of those which stays with you long after you finish reading the poems. The poems deal with the real issues of our present society and have been written in very beautiful language. The poems deal with real emotions too, arising out of those issues.

Women's issues, cultural values, globalization, its impact, all these have been dwelt with strongly and hit us hard. We are aware of what is going around us yet we turn a blind eye. The poems in this book brings us back to those and we are forced to confront.

I recommend this poetry book to all those who the world to change for the better...

Sharing here one of the poems....

Pleasures and Pains

Pleasures and pains;

two sides of a coin.

We toss it early morning;

majority gets the pains side.

Pleasures come like sprinkle,

while pains fall like deluge

and continue like monsoon.

Happiness is a mist

while sorrows shower like snow.

Hassan El-Tayyab's Composing Temple Sunrise

ABOUT COMPOSING TEMPLE SUNRISE 

Composing Temple Sunrise: Overcoming Writer's Block at Burning Man is an inspirational coming-of-age memoir about a 26-year-old songwriter looking to refuel his creative energy. Trigged by the Great Recession of 2008, Hassan El-Tayyab loses his Special Education teaching job in Boston and sets out on a cross-country adventure with a woman named Hope Rideout, determined to find his lost muse. His journey brings him to Berkeley, CA, where he befriends a female metal art collective constructive a 37-foot Burning Man art sculpture named "Fishbug." What follows is a life-changing odyssey through Burning Man that helps Hassan harness his creative spirit, overcome his self-critic, confront his childhood trauma, and realize the healing power of musical expression. 

My views:

All of us are plagued by one issue or more, at any given point of time. The way we deal with those is what shapes our lives. Some deal it with inner strength, a few seek help. But Hassan deals it with it by travelling. He is determined to find himself and his muse.

He is drifting aimlessly, yet is not ashamed to write about it. He has no aim, no goal as such except maybe for coming in terms with himself. Meeting people, and interacting with them, along with the Burning Man stuff, all these help him in one way or the other.

Personal issues intermingle with creativity and that makes the memoir worth reading. I usually don't read memoirs but I am glad I read it. That too at a time, when I myself seem to going nowhere. Drifting directionless....

Loved the honesty and the almost, self derision. Maybe simple living is the answer. I wouldn't know. I am not that adventurous to give up my creature comforts. Everything said and done, I recommend it for those who are in dire need of finding themselves....

I must mention one of the quotes in the memoir that called out to me...

As you navigate through the rest of your life, be open to collaboration. Other people and other people's ideas are often better than your own. Find a group of people who challenge and inspire you, spend a lot of time with them, and it will change your life. 

~~Amy Poehler.