We look before and after,
And pine for what is not:
Our sincerest laughter
With some pain is fraught;
Our sweetest songs are those
that tell of saddest thought.
Percy B Shelly
It is mere joy looking at nature around us – the dense void above the skies, stars sparkling upon the serene skies, rivers crossing the giant mountains, teeny tiny lives spending their earthly moments with all their joy and sorrows – for curious eyes it all appears to be a magic unfolding – perhaps that’s the very beauty of life too.
Pain has been an integral part of life, often that makes us ponder the philosophy of life beyond all what is seen here, through myriad forms of arts and literature the same has been expressed beautifully by human being.
Pain, thus experienced by the creative minds, often has given rise to profound revelations on life that still remain here as signposts for human existence. Perhaps reading the works by Sanwi, who has proven herself as a poet-seer, reminds this important aspect of literature.
‘Echoes of Ache’ by Sanwi is an anthology of poetry that brings myriad aspects of life to present a reader with a clear vision of life as it is. Perhaps more captivating is the sequence of the works that start from a child to a refined philosopher who is made so by the very journey. The poems that fall under five major sections bring us imageries of various stages in life.
While the first section ‘The Greatest Gift’ is a tribute to motherhood, poems in the second section ‘The Metamorphosis’ portray the very transformation of a little girl into a thoughtful poet through a number of encounters in life. It is in this section we get to know about Sanwi’s spiritual guru whom she came across accidentally and addresses him as Baba an ardent devotee of Raghavendra Swamy, the great Hindu scholar, theologian and saint who has similarly transformed many lives during and after his life here. The encounter, we understand from her words, was enough to help the poet in ‘emerging from the cocoon’, the following poems act as a testimony of the same.
Under the section ‘Life’s Best Moments’ we can find a woman who is rather instigated by various life-events and we see the tender heart excited to see the colours in it. The poet here proves herself successful in narrating a few of her experiences through her poetic words that contains all its charisma. ‘Nobody Knows,’ ‘The Academic High,’ and ‘That Last Hurdle’ are a few classic examples of the same. The meditative mind of the poet is unveiled once again through the next section titled ‘Some Musings,’ where the poet shares her assorted thoughts as poetic marvels.
The poems in the fifth section titled ‘Some Dedications’ are not merely dedications but that deals with the deepest emotions of the poet towards the nation, its people and a few significant persons in the poetess’s life. Beautifully threaded in poetic verse, these works also throw light upon the essential quality a poet must possess, that is the commitment towards humanity. Afterall, Humanity needs the poetry of every human being, every people, every nation. Poetry is an impulse native to the infancy of society, an expression of beauty and truth perceived by the human being.
Pregnant with the profound philosophy, garnished by the subtle beauty of nature and painted by the delicate brushes of imagination, Sanwi’s poems weave magic upon the minds of readers. ‘Echoes of Ache’ is not just an anthology of poems but a work of exceptional merit that not only explore the virgin mindscapes of a woman but also speaks the tale of an era that she represents.
We can touch the letters, we can feel words and we can inhale deep after reading every poem in this anthology of splendid poetry – perhaps the very same makes this work worthwhile to be held close to your heart!
Dr. Katerina Koumlidou
Author Poet & Educationist
Dr. Katerina Kaumlidau is a Greek Author, Researcher of History and freelancer on social issues, Art, Poetry, Literature, and Philosophy. She was the Managing Director of the Minister’s office, Ministry of Education and a Chief Executive Officer of the Board of Directors in the National Youth Foundation, Athens, Greece (CEO). Also, she was a member of the Centre for Lifelong Learning and Education. She was awarded by the Academy of Athens for her contributions to Arts and Literature, 2017. She was also awarded by the Experimental High School of Aristotle University, 2004 for her teaching work and from the Ministry on Macedonian – Thrace, Greece, 1989, for her contributions to society. Katerina holds a Red Cross Medal, for her services to patients in 1980.
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