‘In My Skin, I Find Freedom’ – Poems of a Questioning Mind

In My Skin, I Find Freedom

Author: Gauri Dixit
Publisher: Rubric Publishing (8 January 2018)
Available on: Amazon

In My Skin, I Find Freedom is available on Amazon

Gauri Dixit is a perfect example of creativity and talent combined with a logical, razor-sharp mind, and that is exactly how her poems come across – sharp but having great depth. They are modern and are stamped with her unique style.

In her first book, ‘In My Skin, I Find Freedom’, there are poems on varied subjects, yet there is a common thread of a skeptical questioning mind which asks, ‘What is God to you, if not yourself… in the poem ‘Questions to Self ’, or when she asks, in one of her untitled poems, ‘…What do you want? Votes, money, a piece of me or my peace?’

She addresses many social issues in a quiet manner – her voice though gentle is strong. Her poem on child abuse, for example, is not in the usual shrill voice, yet it is icy cold and hard-hitting – ‘she closed her eyes and silently cried at my pain and his gain…’

In the poem, ‘Being the Goddess: Betrayal’, she declares – ‘Ahilyas of the world/ Betrayed by cheating, lying Indra/And cursed by the husband who had no power against Indra…’ Her wit is visible at the end of the poem, when she says, … ‘Like they say at the end of an interesting episode of an interesting soap/ What will Ahilya do now?’

Gauri Dixit

Some poems show her love for nature and a subtle sense of romanticism is very visible in the lines when she says, ‘A song/ smiles at me/ from far off mountains/ dancing leaves/hold my hand…’

In the poem, ‘The night insists on sleeping with me’ she talks about how the night’s partner is cheating and is spending nights with her and others, and therefore is the ‘Infidel Moon!’

However, it is her voice as a woman – ‘A glimpse/ of my wounds/ A taste/of my pain….’ and the desire to be free which is most striking – ‘…All I want to do/Is shout/But I have to maintain/A façade stout…’

In a world where the woman is perceived as the lesser being, she questions, ‘..Freedom/ is the I / that you dismiss as my ego / I wonder why…’ and she only asks to me accepted for who she is, ‘Let me be/ A poem/ A muse/….with all my blues/ Let me be’.

Although it is not possible to mention each poem, suffice to say that every one of her poems are beautiful pieces of modern art and it has been a most enriching experience reading her book. I most certainly feel that it is a must have for people who love poetry which is lovely and yet not verbose. Wishing her all the best and looking forward for the next collection.

About the Author

Sunita Singh ( 3 Posts)

Sunita Singh is a bi-lingual poet and writer. Some of her poems feature in Anthologies and e-magazines. Many of her poems have also won awards on on - line forums. A few of her Hindi poems have been turned into lyrics for private albums. She is also an active member of a forum reviving Indian languages.
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