The joy of poetry

A Work of Heart by Ayra Cama. Published in 2005 by Anahra Publishers, Bombay 400007, Mob: 9820027091, Tel: 23813451. Pp: 85. Price: Rs 125.

Hoping "to inculcate in school-going children of all ages the joy of poetry” Ayra Cama launched her anthology of 38 light-hearted poems. Dedicated to her children Reah and Rohaan, Cama writes. "They have been my strength and inspiration in every sense of the term” giving her "the courage to venture into this publication.”

Whether it is "Down With Homework,” the bane of most schoolchildren, "The Question Paper Makes Me Blank,” the dreaded evaluations, or "TV Mania” a mindless fixation for many kids, most children would be able to empathize with the sentiments conveyed in the recitable verses. Enhancing the appeal of the poems are the creative sketches by Nekzad Dhunjibhoy which humorously illustrate the subject matter.

Ayra Cama: inspired by children

"Nervous Moments,” "What’s The Rush?” and "Is This Fair? — I Ask” relate well the excessive pressure to­day’s toddlers and pre-schoolers are put through to ensure that they measure up to the admission criteria demanded by prestigious schools. A graduate in English literature from St Xavier’s College, Cama presently runs a playschool called Toddle Time and enjoys interacting with children of all ages, notes an introduction to the author. While teachers have been exempted, gentle ribbing of parents is the tone of several poems like "That Little Thing Called Love,” "Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow,” and "An Identity Crisis.” Cama candidly admits how parents can create confusion in their children’s minds when she writes in one verse: "It’s hard to keep pace with their vacillating minds,/I’m not sure which way to go,/One moment they want a quick cuddle,/Next moment they won’t let it show.” A mother’s obsession with tidiness comes across clearly in "My Mom – A Neatness Freak” just as her unconditional love earns a "Vote For Mom.” When compared to mothers, "Grandmothers” gets a browny point for "Nothing at Grandma’s is out of

From left: Rohaan and Reah Cama, Shabana Azmi, Ayra Cama and Rati Wadia

bounds,/And you get spoilt to the core,/You can demand and get almost anything,/And then just one smile can get you more...”

"The Joys Of Junk Food” should bring a smile to every young reader just as "A Dieter’s Dilemma” questions: "Pizzas add to your bulk and weight,/ While dull salads keep you trim,/If your tastebuds take a bashing/Is it worth to be slim?”

Not all the poems though concern family, home, friends and "Nosy Parkers.” There are some devoted to national icons and subjects like Mahatma Gandhi, Nehru, casteism, the lure of money, the infinite waits. In "The Perfected Art Of Waiting,” the poet writes, "In this one thing we are all united,/It’s a lesson we’re forced to learn,/While the world gets things for the asking,/In India, we must wait our turn./And if they say, ‘Patience is a virtue,/And virtue is a grace,’/That accounts for the look of resignation,/On every Indian face.”

A bit of philosophy too comes packaged in verse as in "You Almost Have It All” Cama writes, "For your every one sorrow, most others have ten,/No one is spared, not women, not men,/So count your blessings, take time to recall,/And you’ll honestly find, you almost have it all…”

Parinaz M. Gandhi