Book of Poetry- a quick announcement

By V. Shruti Devi (quill-o-the-wisp)

Dear Readers,

It is now thirteen years since I launched this blog!

I'm in the process of having a hard bound book published, entitled Ad Altiora Nitimur.

The book contains new end-notes and a Preface that I've written over the past few months. I've also edited some of the poems for the book. This is the First Edition of the book.

Will announce the listings for Ad Altiora Nitimur as soon as the Hard Cover version is ready.

I look forward to responses from readers,

With best wishes,

V. Shruti Devi

(This blog will continue) :)

updated on 15th Jan. 2020 to say there is a paperback as well as hard-bound...will make a formal announcement and add links soon!

U2

By V. Shruti Devi (quill-o-the-wisp)


the fifteenth of December
Pro Bono Mecca
Rootie, Mogave!


(an attempt at haiku)

Sartorial

By V. Shruti Devi (quill-o-the-wisp)

the latest, most updated
papers
don't really get around
till almost the end
wrt
parliamentary proceedings

perhaps a reason
why
one's got arbitrarily selective
with what one reads
via the websites

can't claim to have read
the historic
J&K Bill

but was it possible
for hearts to have skipped beats
and lawyered up
at prospects
(whatever those might be)

And RIP, Sushma Swaraj
of the BJP
a politician
with many good qualities
...didn't know her personally
but she lived
on our lane once
and I believe my sartorial
creations (and sportings)
had ripple effects
(in this case: sleeveless jackets with sarees and elan)

quite a role model!

Notes from the Trail- 3

By V. Shruti Devi (quill-o-the-wisp)

when you're fighting
for the last person

or persons

and that could well be
yourself,

then it counts.

every tradeoff
takes on Meaning

The all-pervasisve 'security'
(read: surveillance and manipulation
even)

sometimes justified
I guess

such as various branches of cops
routinely calling
to check
The Candidate's nighthalt

so you hop onto an Open Vehicle of an Assembly hopeful in a town
(that creature of the Andhra polls at least- a Prachara Ratham
all decked up, flag-permissions, mike-permission, vehicle-permissions et al)
(never mind that the local doer found the worst, probably by-mistake photoshopped snap of you
to affix on the said chariot)

Unlike almost onescore years ago
when one ducked wires, campaigning....

Almost (here, I exaggerate re times past), twoscore years ago,
one ducked branches, commuting

On this town's bylane, a momentarily crouching candidate,
Sweeping foliage above
And in no time, a routine call from
The Special Branch!

Just a coincidence
for sure

Notes from the Trail - 2

By V. Shruti Devi (quill-o-the-wisp)

And the signs can be
quite loquacious

Like when doing the hairpin bends

Holding forth on indigenous peoples worldwide
Including India and its neighbours

Poll-time connections
-parties fighting corruption
-indigenous, -upholding systems, -Rights....

And the obvious name/s bandied about
these days
such as the tehreek-e-insaaf (what a party!)

And almost on cue, hearing this, perhaps,
Out jumps a monkey onto the road,
makes a ball-shining-action
that the cricketing world would understand
(and, I suppose, so would channel-switching homo sapiens)

In this context- Quadri!!!
left arm offspin bowling
another party
another game
politics,
not cricket,
and some sort of spirituality

Notes from the Trail

By V. Shruti Devi (quill-o-the-wisp)

Fine rust-maroon scaffolding
In the near-wilderness

Looked like Mesta to me!

One exclaimed

Two speckled wingeds hopped out from the bushes
a furlong or two further down the drive

...Canvassing....
Visionaries, we guess