Today’s featured resource is another podcast: A Mouthful of Air. In each episode of this relatively new series, a contemporary poet (generally from the U.K.) discusses one of their poems or, alternatively, host Mark McGuinness discusses a classic poem, like Gerard Manley Hopkins’ “The Windhover.”

And now for another (optional) prompt from our archives. Today, I challenge you to write a poem that addresses itself or some aspect of its self (i.e., “Dear Poem,” or “what are my quatrains up to?”; “Couplet, come with me . . .”) This might seem a little “meta” at first, or even kind of cheesy. But it can be a great way of interrogating (or at least, asking polite questions) of your own writing process and the motivations you have for writing, and the motivations you ascribe to your readers.

My poetry for today- ‘Dear Poetry- please stay’

Dear Poetry, 

Please stay with me
At times, I worry
That you'll leave me
because, there's no decree
that says you must be with me
And, to earn you I have no degree.

I need you. You salvaged me 
from drowning in life's turbulent sea
and made sure that I was no longer lonely
I saw you in everything around me-
In the bark of a tree and in a cup of tea,
in a toothless grin and in one, high on gin

You were heaven's gift to me
An analgesic for pain, heartbreak and misery.

I told everybody,
in all honesty-
that I was a nobody,
and that words strung themselves into stanzas before me
I have never taken credit for your beauty
And yet, it seems like I've made you unhappy.

For words seem to have deserted me
and I no longer see you like I once did, around me
I try hard but it doesn't come easy-
Metaphors, similies, imagery.
This struggle to find you feels like drudgery
And I fear its because I'm no longer sad, but happy.

For, you, were heaven's gift to me
An analgesic for pain, heartbreak and misery.

My debut novel, ‘Coming Home’ was published on 24th March, 2023.

For the Kindle edition of the book, please click here. The book is available in most countries.

The paperback edition is currently available only in India. You can get your copy by clicking here. I am working on getting the paperback version in other countries as well.

Here are some reviews on the book that may help you decide if you’d like to read it or not