Dear Jaana,

How are you? I am not that fine, but it’s fine. 😊 You asked me one question that day, I did answer you but that was partially true. You asked me –

What poetry means to me?

I told you that when words come on their own I just say them. Yes I do that but poetry is much much more for me than this.

Poetry is the beat whose sound comes from my heart. I was near about 15 years old when I first realized that when you say something in lines and stanza format that becomes poetry. My cousin’s daughter knocked the door of this world and we all were happy. Everyone was saying something good for her to welcome her in the home and you what I said? I said:

बेटियां माँ की परछाई,
जो पिता के साये में चलती हैं…!

जिस्म जान अलग हैं दोनों से,
पर दोनों के साथ गुलाब जैसी खिलती हैं…!

I do not think at that time I was in to poetry but I represent my ocean of emotions in few lines. Everyone was praising so I was happy. But I never thought about learning it or taking it seriously.

Then my heartbreak and the every inch of my heart was a written poetry.

नज़रो से कह देते, क्यों शब्दों का इस्तेमाल किया?
हमने इन निगाहों को ही… तो पढ़ने का हुनर सीखा हैं…

कहते रह गए जन्म देने वाले मुझे,
कि दूर रह उस से,
और हमने बस इतना कहा,

कि जन्म तो आपने दे दिया,
पर किसी को… हमारी मौत का दावेदार,
भी तो होना लिखा हैं…!

This is what poetry means to me. My happiness, my ego, my pain, my tears, my hope… and me.

When I was in depression this helped me to come out of it. I still have diaries which are in my cupboard filled with emotions transformed in to words.

This is what poetry means to me… ME.

Take care.

Yours undiscovered friend
Meenakshi Dangi