‘I find Delhi not only as a city but as an emotion’

Anjali Singh loves Delhi. She has been staying in the capital for the past 3 years and she has fallen in love with this ancient city.  Describing the city beautifully in her poem Dilli, she writes how this city gradually conquered her sensitive heart. 

Selected as Poet of this Week, the budding media professional speaks on what makes Delhi so special to her, lists her favourite new generation poets as well as throws light on her method of writing. Read on edited excerpts:

At what age did you start writing poetry?

I wrote my first poem titled Ghar when I was 12. My tryst with poetry has rather been a long one! And I have only begun.

But what inspired you to write poems in the first place?

I think I get inspired to write poems when I see things happening around me but there’s no medium to convey any of those. We live thousands of moments in a day and some of them teach us about living and about life in a very simple manner. So, yes it was my surroundings and observations regarding life that inspired me to write poems.

Woe! Quite profound! Tell us the thought behind your poem Delhi?

I’ve been living in Delhi for the past 3 years and I didn’t find the city of Delhi as a place but as an emotion. Delhi is so mysteriously beautiful and every time I go outside I get to know or see something different that always adds more to my perspective. I love this city. 

You surely love Ghalib’s city but which poet is your favourite?

Honestly, I do not follow any specific poet, it’s just like I love to read and explore and I follow so many poetic pages on Instagram. I see reels, posts everything that has poetry in it. And I find all of them so beautifully written and addressed. Recently I went through a  poem by poet Priya Malik – Main tumhe phir milungi” and Nayab Midha’s poem – Muskurao. They’re my current favourites. 

Poet’s special- Rhyme or free verse?

 I prefer free verse. It speaks more to me. 

And the typical poet’s question: Writing poems in the day or night? 

Night is a forever choice. 

So how does AIMC support you to write such lovely poems?

When I got to know that the Apeejay Education Society has its own Newsroom website where we can share our thoughts in the form of articles or poems as part of the Apeejay Talent Treasure Section, I was very happy. I had finally found a way to showcase my skills and thoughts. I’m really grateful for that.

Well great to know that. Please tell us how you approach writing a poem? What are your common writing themes?

I don’t write poems on a daily basis. Whenever I come across something emotional or touching I just can’t resist myself to think about it again and again.  Then I take my phone and start  writing whatever my mind is scribbling. My common writing themes are- life, my experiences, love and other emotions. Basically things people generally can’t express, I try to put those feelings into words.

Best thing about writing poetry for you?

The best thing about writing poetry is that I never feel alone, I never feel betrayed. I never feel useless and I never feel depressed as well. Writing poems makes me feel alive and it makes me feel that I can understand any perspective of life even if it’s not about me, I will understand and appreciate whatever has been achieved.