Interviews
‘Writing poetry is both pleasurable and soulful!’
Punyaa Dewan, student of Apeejay College of Fine Arts, Jalandhar, says learning new words and expressions makes her a good poet
Life is a process and one must accept the process in its totality. We often want only the desirable happenings, but we forget that to love the rain is to also love the mud. This beautiful philosophy finds a place in the poem ‘Had it been?‘ written by budding poet Punyaa Dewan. In the Apeejay Promising Poets interview, the young literature enthusiast shares her inspirations behind picking up the pen and tells all writers that they must never stop exploring. Edited excerpts:
At what age did you start writing poetry?
I started writing poetry in the second standard. I was six-year-old then.
What was the inspiration behind picking up the pen?
I always liked to grasp new words and learn new expressions. This in turn enabled me to create a poet or a writer out of myself. The exercise of writing something creative, especially a poem, is both pleasurable as well as soulful.
Who is your favorite poet and what is your favorite poem?
My favorite poem is ‘Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening’ by Robert Frost. I love the iconic lines, ‘The woods are lovely dark and deep. But I have promises to keep and miles to go before I sleep’. I also like the poems of Robert Browning.
Tell us about the process of writing a poem?
Firstly, I muse upon an interesting title and then, I frame my thoughts in a rhyming style. And the poem comes out.
Do you prefer rhyme or free verse?
I guess one has to rack his brains much more while writing rhyming stanzas than a poem in free verse. So I prefer rhymes. I find rhyme more interesting and powerful than free verse.
How does ACFA help you to write such good verses?
ACFA has provided me with such a great platform i.e. the Apeejay Newsroom website where I can get my verses published. Also, our class lecturers provide us with a great direction in creative writing. Seeing my poems published in Apeejay Newsroom motivates me to keep on writing.
What was the thought behind your poem ‘Had It Been’?
The poem teaches us that we must “live to learn and learn to live”. The poem “Had It Been?” conveys that we must not grumble in life. It states that we won’t be able to appreciate the good times unless we taste the endurance of the testing times. Therefore, I feel we must seek contentment.
What are your next poems?
I always like writing something motivational. I would like to write about something that uplifts the spirits of the readers and brings positivity in their life.
One advice for budding poets?
Never stop exploring and keep cultivating your vocabulary.
