Women have written poetry for several centuries, using the medium to express their anguish as well as their elation. Poetry by women has inspired and encouraged audiences across cultures and ages. The varied experiences and perspectives of men and women over the course of their lives is reflected in the diverse themes, techniques and forms used by women poets.
This review focuses on two tastefully produced volumes of poetry by Red River: A Blur of a Woman by Basudhara Roy and Kitchen Poems by Nithya Mariam John.
Basudhara Roy’s poetry is unflinching, imaginative and introspective, describing the trauma, turbulence, warmth and tenderness that can be part of a woman’s life. Her poems bear witness to the power of a woman’s voice to engage emotionally with the readers while she interrogates the mystery of the feminine in an era of transformative social change.