Prerna Khatri's new
collection of poems 'Thousand Unspoken Thoughts' makes for an interesting read. If one would go by
Wordsworth's principle that all poetry is a spontaneous expression of
powerful emotions, Prerna seems to be on the right track. A lawyer by
profession, she has managed to bring out an eclectic mix of emotions,
from pathos to layered anger through her poems.
As a reader new to
the task of reviewing, I am as much of a novice at explaining poetry
as any other reader. What I can speak of is my experience on reading
it. 'A Thousand Unspoken Thoughts' comes across as honest, direct and
fresh. It contains imagery that is at once simple and familiar.
The poems cover a wide range of topics from love, loss, life, and
reflections. Through her poems, Prerna has managed to bring out the
right combination of words that come closest to expressing the
original emotions. For instance, In 'Tonight, I'll Write', she says
'Well, Tonight I'll
write,
But for myself.
And tonight I'll
write with no qualms,
No rehearsed
dialogue; no hidden moral.
For tonight, I'll
write from my heart.'
We recognize the
poet's need to be true to her own self. Yet, it does not always come
across. Her intentions might be true, but her desire to express them
in an ornate manner often gets in the way. It is a problem she
understands herself. 'In Conversation With The Devil' she says
'He seemed slightly
dissatisfied.
He asked me do you
still want to continue this.
Or should I just
proceed with my assigned task.'
The only flaw I
could see in the collection is a lack of diversity. There are no
poems that stand out for their deep philosophical insight. Some like
'Open Thy Heart' and 'Embracing the Battlefront' feel forced. Then,
there But then, a poet expresses what she/he finds interesting.
'Thousand UnspokenThoughts' is a wonderful collection by a new poet. Her range of
topics and the spirited venture to express the right emotions in the
right words make it an interesting read.
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