Title : In Which Language Do I Remember You?

Poet : Shruti Sonal

Genre : Poetry

Published By : Dr. Ananda Lal for Writer’s Workshop

A limited edition book with a cover that gives you a homely feel. Hand-stitched, hand-pasted and hand-bound with a handloom sari cloth, this book will remind one of those sari pallus of mother or grandmother tugging which we would have walked around. 

That was the  cover. The poet Shruti Sonal  dedicates this book to her mother. Divided into three parts – Before, After and, Love and Loss, the poems are indeed a ride of emotions.

In Part 1 – Before, Shruti’s verses leave a heaviness in the heart as she talks about her life when her mother was around. This section makes the reader reflect on their actions like eating while watching TV instead of a warm dinner table conversation with parents. The poems also make us contemplate the thought of taking parents for granted like visiting places with them or visiting the places that they wanted to visit but haven’t, their mannerisms and the pain of being away from dear ones during the pandemic.

Part 2 – After, explores the poet’s life after losing her mom. The sudden emptiness that surrounds her is brought out so well in her verses. Also, she explores the limits of language to express her grief which serves as the title of this wonderful collection.

‘On her bed, her saris and bangles,

Lie still, as if in disbelief,

Almost wishing she would come and wear them again.

Her wardrobe has her smell,

The smell of lobe, comfort and… home,’

The above lines just tug the heart. I choose to leave the rest for you to read.

Part 3 – Love and Loss. This section talks about the losses in life and travels through nostalgic streets. The way the poet connects the Death of Lillies to the seasons is really poignant.

Overall, this book is a treat for all poetry lovers.