I am a Woman
By Dr Pravat Kumar Padhy
The Magic Pen Press, Suffolk, United Kingdom, 2023
A Melodic Ode to Womanhood​
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Vandana Parashar reviews 'I Am a Woman' by Dr Pravat Kumar Padhy
Pravat Kumar Padhy is a name to reckon with in the haikai world and his books are cherished additions to every haikai poet’s book collection. His recent book, “I Am a Woman”, a long sequence of poems in tanka form, is no different.
This collection of tanka serves as a melodic ode to womanhood, painting vivid portraits of love, resilience and the pursuit of identity amidst societal expectations.
The cover art by Shloka Shankar sets the perfect mood, and with his very first tanka, Pravat crafts a narrative that transcends time and borders and engulfs the reader in the shared happiness.
full moon day
fondly they name her Chandani
blossoms of blissfulness
swing all around
raining happiness in their life
With every tanka the reader gets more and more invested in the story of the little girl. Every parent can relate to the sentiments portrayed in the poems.
they wait
as she boards the school bus
eagerly watch
murmuring at each other
till the bird goes out of their sight
Within these pages, each poem acts as a prism, refracting the diverse hues of women's lives.
like a plant
she is shifted to a new pot
tries to share
her aroma and warmth
as a fresh flower in the new garden
slowly
there is a change
in the colour of the dialect
things look half-ripe
like unseasonal fruits in the cold storage
Pravat does not shy away from addressing the darker facets of women's experiences. From the scars left by abuse to the shadows of self-doubt, Pravat fearlessly delves into the depths of pain and vulnerability.
he compels
her to breath in silence
with all limitations
like a prisoner of war
bowing head to surrender
she stares
at her glimmering eyes
on the album pages
wishes the time to rewind
the pristine caress of her parents
abandoned…
for how long
she shall wait
under the barren sky
for the river to flow again
Echoing the indomitable spirit of women who refuse to be confined by the limitations imposed upon them, each poem serves as a testament to the enduring strength found within the feminine soul.
the seed
is thrown to the wind
abandoned she feels
as life slowly rejuvenates
she gathers hope to breathe
Amidst the trials and tribulations depicted within these pages, there exists a palpable sense of hope—a rallying cry for empowerment and change.
she desires to revise
the pristine manuscript
for her daughter
as she reckons with a crescent smile
‘I am a Woman’ to prove again
The book is structured in a way that mirrors the stages of a woman's life. It begins with poems reflecting the innocence and wonder of childhood and progresses into the challenges and accomplishments of adulthood. Each poem is a testament to the unique experiences that shape women, capturing the joys, sorrows, and everything in between.
This exceptional book encourages readers, regardless of gender, to reflect on the experiences of women and to gain a deeper understanding of their struggles and triumphs.
For women readers, the book is a reminder that they are not alone in their journey and that their experiences are shared by others. For male readers, it provides an opportunity to gain empathy and insight into the female perspective, fostering a greater appreciation for the women in their lives.
It is a must-read for anyone in search of a deeper understanding of the human experience. The book's eloquent and heartfelt poems will stay with readers long after they have turned the last page.
About the Author
Dr Pravat Kumar Padhy
Pravat Kumar Padhy, a scientist, poet and essayist, is based in Bhubaneswar, India. He obtained his Master of Science and a Ph.D from Indian Institute of Technology, ISM Dhanbad. He is a mainstream poet and a writer of Japanese short forms of poetry. His poem “How Beautiful” is included in the undergraduate syllabus at the university level. A short collage of video featuring his haiku is included in the school curriculum, The Trier High School, Northfield, Illinois, USA. Pravat’s haiku are featured at Mann Library, Cornell University, “Haiku Wall”, Historic Liberty Theatre Gallery in Bend, Oregon. His tanka appeared in “Kudo Resource Guide”, University of California, Berkeley, and put on rendition in the Musical Drama Performance, ‘Coming Home’, The International Opera through Art Songs, Toronto, Canada. He introduced new forms of poetry: Hainka: the fusion of haiku and tanka, Micro-Haiga and Braided Haiku. He served as a panel judge of ‘The Haiku Foundation Touchstone Awards for Individual Poems’ and is on the editorial board of ‘Under the Basho’.
He devotes time to writing scientific papers on ‘Planetary Geology’ and listening to classical music and songs.