Written By: Malavika Madgula
“I have never started a poem yet whose end I knew. Writing a poem is discovering.”
“I have never started a poem yet whose end I knew. Writing a poem is discovering.”
-- Robert Frost
There is a plethora of matter on the internet as to how
to get inspired to write, how to write well, ideas on what to write, and so on.
I have no idea about the success rate of those who tried this non-conventional
path, but I am one who believes that writing comes from within. If something
about words makes your whole spine tingle, then you’ve probably had a long love
affair with words and you might have even engaged in wordplay at some time; pun
unintended!
In my case, apart from the occasional forcefully written
pieces for English Literature class in school, writing came to me naturally.
My First Forays
It was the year 2001. Events like WTC, the Bhuj
earthquake and the assassination of a royal family had shaken the world. Too young
to understand the actual political, economic, and social ramifications, I did
the only thing I, as an 11-year old kid thought I could do: I wrote about it in
the form of a 20-line poem. It was only after my family and friends appreciated
the poetry, however childlike it sounded, I realized that I loved writing it.
So I set about composing more.
My attempts at poetry were most random: I wrote on anything
and everything. My most ambitious attempt as a kid was when I sat about converting
an old African fable of ‘Why do mosquitoes buzz in people’s ears’ into a nearly
50-line poem; rhyme èt al. I wrote a poem on one of the most famous queens of
ancient Egypt ‘Nefertiti’ after having watched a documentary on the excavation
of her mausoleum. I even wrote one on the road behind my house! The saga of writing continued throughout my
graduation and post-graduation. In fact, throughout the 2 years at business
school, I was onstage less for presentations and competitions and more so for
reading out the poetry that I’d dished out for several occasions, including the
Director’s birthday and Teachers’ Day!
Lasting Impressions
I got inspired by anything and everything around me. My
parents are travel freaks, and the same percolated down to me, which meant family
holidays all over the country.Those places, including the rolling dunes of Rajasthan,
the snow-capped mountains of Sikkim, the backwaters of Kerala, the beaches of
Goa and the dry mountains of Manali and Ladakh are permanently engraved in my mind.
Most of the poetry that I wrote was inspired by vivid images that would jump
out at me either in photographs or from my living memory. It was bliss.
A particular poet whose poems have inspired me in a way I
can’t explain is Robert Frost. It was love at first sight for me when I read ‘The
Road Not Taken’ and ‘Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening’. The intense imagery
created by both poems threw up such powerful and passionate feelings that
reading them make me shudder pleasantly till date.As his quote above resonates,
I feel the same way when I’ve written poems.
I’ve had the good fortune of landing up with the most
amazing English and Communication professors throughout my school, graduation and
post-graduation. Their sense of criticism, appreciation and a silent
encouragement has been a constant reminder as to who I am and how goodI have
the potential to be.
The Road Ahead
I just quit a job I thought I loved, unless you count
sitting at a desk daydreaming about writing as a job. A bad boss, coupled with
the enthusiasm to write, backed by supportive family and friends encouraged me
to quit my job, and ironically today I’m on my way to my first submission,
penning down ‘My Writer Story’. Umpteen press releases, articles, literature
paragraphs, letters, and an epiphany later, here I am;a fledgling writer, but
enthusiastic nevertheless.
I’ve recently just set up my blog; something that I wanted
to do years ago, but better late than never. I’m particularly proud of my
tagline that currently reads ‘Aspiring writer. Defiant Professional.’ It gave
my mother a jolt and my friends a good laugh. Someday, I’d like it to read
‘Author. Poet.Blogger’.My best friend said that he could already envision that;
all I had to do is walk down the path. Amen to that.
Author Bio
Malavika Madgula is a freelance poet, blogger and writer living in Mumbai. A certified grammar nut, she is currently in the process of setting up her blog at http://malavika24.wordpress.com/. Connect with her on Twitter @mmalavika24.
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