‘Like stars in the sky, we all have a role to play’

Have you been to Van Gogh 360? It will be a surreal experience for you if you are an art lover. An immersive feeling into watching major western art works. Budding poet Samaira Mulchandani also went to this art exhibition recently. As was the case, a poet’s mind is ever active, catching inspiration and ideas like a Wi-Fi catches the nearby internet signals. Watching a star-studded sky over her head as she was watching celebrated painter Van Gogh’s iconic work ‘Starry Night’ and the idea struck her. She realised that man just like a star is needed and has a role to play in the larger scheme of things.

In this week’s Promising Poet series, the class 11 student explains how poetry happened to her while writing her second novel, and there was then no turning back. Read edited excerpts:

At what age did you start writing poetry?

I have been writing stories since junior school. However, my passion for poetry has been fairly recent. It was while writing my second book The warrior rises again that I felt I could better portray the character’s emotions via poetry. The idea worked well and ever since then, I have been writing songs and poems to express my thoughts and feelings.

What inspired you to write poems?

As I mentioned earlier, I felt that the characters in my book needed a more poetic expression. While working on my characters, I realised that poetry is the most beautiful way to convey the deepest of emotions. And so, the journey began.

 How has poetry writing changed you?

Poetry gives one a chance to express what one is feeling. There are times when I am disturbed about something and I start writing. It just so happens that as the poem progresses, it transforms from a sad thought to a positive ending. Now, instead of troubling myself over small things, I just pen down my thoughts and feel better.

Your favourite in the world of verses?

I have read a couple of poems by Robert Frost, Oscar Wilde and a few more poets. I like the thought behind Fire and Ice, in which Frost expresses how human emotions of hatred and greed can create havoc if not dealt with properly. I also like W.H Davies’s poem Leisure. In the poem, he shows how we don’t have or make time for the simple pleasures of life. Watching a squirrel hiding nuts in the grass is a simple pleasure, which is almost extinct not only for adults but also for children. We are all just rushing all the time.

Rhyme or free verse?

I would say rhyme. I write my poems with the intent of turning them into self-composed songs. (By the way I have recorded a few self-composed songs too.) There is not much difference in writing a song or a poem, just the chorus is additional. Composing and singing your own piece is a different feeling altogether.

Writing poems in the day or night?

An idea or inspiration can come anytime, anywhere! You can be sitting at a beach, casually watching the waves and you can be inspired by the crashing of the waves against the rocks and then breaking into the sand! So can’t really say, day or night – it just has to feel right!

How does your school help you to write such lovely poems?

My teachers have always encouraged me by giving me ample opportunities. Apeejay newsroom has been instrumental in giving exposure to all students in this regard. It is an immense encouragement for me to see my poems published on their website.

What is your approach towards writing a poem?

I always keep my phone or diary with me. Whenever I have a thought provoking idea, I pen it down. At times, the thoughts are inspirational, sometimes, they are just a repetition of what I have written previously. It doesn’t take me much time to write a poem. The poem just flows. If I am in the mood, I can write in no time. My poetry and songs are mostly about hope, inspiration and newly-found courage.

Best thing about writing poetry for you?

Is there a better way to express yourself than poetry? A few words can explain what is going on in the mind and heart.

Lastly, tell us about the thought process behind your poem ‘Stars’?

I got inspired by Van Gogh’s iconic work Starry Night. I had gone for the immersive experience of Van Gogh’s paintings, where stars were floating all across the hall. All of them were different from each other, yet they made the entire picture so complete and perfect. That’s when I thought that even we as humans are like those stars, imperfect yet perfect. We all have our flaws, but we also have our strengths. It is together that we make the picture complete. Any one piece, if found missing, can leave the masterpiece incomplete. We all have our part to play.