Singing Soul- a review

Just finished reading the poems of the anthology- ‘Singing Soul- a garland of captivating poems’ by Shalini Samuel and published by Omji Publishing House.

Before I give my feedback, let me introduce you with the author.

About the author:

Shalini Samuel from the southern tip of India, Kanyakumari, started her writing journey as a blogger. Poetry was her unfulfilled dream then. She explored poetry and slowly started learning the nuances of it. Her poems got published in print and online journals. She is currently editing e-magazine ‘Fragrance’. She also has edited various novels and short stories. She tells-

"All light beams cast shadow;

All green leaves withers someday-

But hope never dies

With the hope of charming your hearts

My pen moves on."

My review:

It is said that poetry is a sudden outburst of strong emotions. The poems of Shalini (whom I endearingly call ‘Akka’) in the anthology can prove this statement to the fullest. The poetess, through her words, has strongly expressed the situations of the modern era in the flow of words. Right from the first to the last, each and every poem speaks of a different domain of life of any common person of today- and one can relate it one’s own life while reading it. While poems like Aliens and Canine competitor reflect the impact of electronic gadgets on the people of today, the ones like Unheard Sufferings and Migrated Human Birds show the pathetic faces of the people of today owing to the modern circumstances. The pieces like You and me, can you or me and the haiku explain a book in a very few lines. First trust; Museum and Masterpiece prove a perfect dedication to the souls because of whom we are what we are today. Behind the Window and daughter’s tears showcase the dooms faced by the girls of the modern society. In a similar way, the other pieces also reflect various such shades.

What I liked the most in the anthology is that the author has maintained the same discipline in the poems as were done by the big writers throughout ages- but pertaining to the modern era. The words are touching and true to the base! There have been poems that have really left a mark in me. Some of them being- Unheard Sufferings (which goes with me); Soul vs Ghoul; Museum; Soulmate; Daughter’s tears; River’s memoir, Departure and Indian Independence. The other poems also are equally good and one would enjoy reading them. Things, however, would have been a little better had the content been edited properly. There are editing mistakes at places but are mostly ignorable. Overall I’d just say, If you love poems, if you are in love, or if you have strong feelings for someone or something, then this book definitely is for you.

 I’d rate the book 4 on 5.

And at the end of the day, I wish the poetess all the very best for her future works. This is just the beginning. You have a long way to go Akka!