My first poetry anthology: Fragrance and other poems by Snehith Kumbla

The second edition ebook front cover

This is convey, with much joy, that I have published a selection of my poems on Amazon Kindle and paperback. The Kindle edition is available across the world on the Amazon website and the Kindle app. The paperback edition is not yet available in India, at the time of writing.

The India Kindle edition is priced INR 100.  

Fragrance and other poems by Snehith Kumbla: Select purchase links: 

The Amazon (India) link: https://amzn.eu/d/eSLL0B7

The Amazon (US) link: https://a.co/d/7TjEajX

The Amazon (UK) link: https://amzn.eu/d/8YN2OQS

Fourteen poems, one volume

Of the 14 poems featured here, the first six are inevitably about love. 

Fragrance is of absence and fondness.

Her Yellow Dress is on the overpowering allure of beauty.

Body Ink, Siren and Craving are odes to desire and attraction. 

Auria is of dreamy, snuggle-meshed lovemaking.

A nod to nature in Still, renewed beginnings in New Day, celebrating hugs and winter in Warmth, the doom of heartbreak in Fall.

Ordinariness is of jobs and dead routine.

Bhang Diary celebrates the riotous, wild times of holi, the festival of colours, and the intake of the delicious, mischief-dripping beverage - bhang.

Listen, Rain is an ode to the many beautiful thunderous rain-rich evenings.

Dive is a call to the self - That everything is waiting at the other end of fear.

An image from the Kindle/Paperback edition

On poetry 

I do not recall the first line of poetry I wrote. 

I do recollect the first poem that was published in a children's magazine, for which I received, as was the norm then, via money order - 40 rupees. Barely 10 then and this been the early nineties, there were a lot of things 40 rupees could buy. In the simplicity and serenity of those times, 40 rupees was happiness. 

The tale of that first published poem makes the introduction of Fragrance and other poems. 

Fortunately or unfortunately, I have never undertaken any classes or taken any guidance in writing poetry. 

The only poetry workshop I ever attended was a haiku-writing event in late November 2010 - What I imbibed there has played an important role in my poetry writing, in terms of expression, spontaniety, editing, paragraphing, meter and flow.

The inspirations have been from reading poetry across genres and also my love for songs - Be it popular Hindi movie soundtrack playlists, The Beatles, and various English language songs. 

But at what precise poetry sprouted from me, remains a mystery. 

The only thing I am sure of - Unlike short story writing, or any other fiction writing art for that matter, poetry sprouts from the heart. 

At times, I have slept with a notebook and pen by the pillow, to scribble any phrase or thought-line, that would begin a poem, or complete/add on to the one germinating in the many notebooks and journals.

Sometimes a poem can spring from the self in one go, sometimes it completes itself in a few months, and often, a year or years later. Such is its nature. 

Experiencing life and recalling memories play a huge part in poetry writing, only that retelling life in poetry is more organic. The words usually arrive like the monsoon, there is no sway or hold I have in when it will dawn upon me. 

On meter and technique

I follow no fixed meter or technique, but the one that ebbs with the poetry. Wherever the poetry flows, one goes with it. 

Later, once the words have written themselves down, the editing, paragraphing, meter, additions, subtractions are but an afterthought, an attempt at refinement. I usually try to retain the rawness and abandon of the first draft. 

When does one know that the poem is finally done? You never know, but by writing regularly an instinct develops, when one has a sense of a journey's end. 

Afterword 

There it is then, for the record, for your consideration, dear readers, my first poetry collection - Fragrance and other poems.  

(Article by Snehith Kumbla)

The first edition alternative paperback cover