Publisher: Goan Observer Pvt. Ltd.
Pages: 80
Price Rs 250

I am a worm.

In my father’s Garden of Eden.
A worm which refused to vanish 
In the woodwork 
To make him happy
Tara Narayan

Back in 1989, Tara Patel published her first collection of poems, Single Woman, published by Rupa & Co. Tara was a poet from whom people expected much more; Eunice de Souza had included her in Nine Indian Women Poets: An Anthologyin 1997, and though Tara had only published one book since then, critics took notice of her work. Then she seemed to disappear. 

Decades later, at a national conference on women’s poetry in Tirupur, organised by Dr. K.V. Raghupathi, the keynote speaker Smita Bahuguna Agarwal spoke of how women’s voices are often silenced. She particularly mentioned Tara Patel, and asked, ‘Where is she now?” Tara had vanished down what she calls the “rabbit hole of Alice in Wonderland”, where journalism and marriage consumed her.

In 2022, Tara Patel, the poet, returned. She is now Tara Narayan, and her new b book, Letter to God & Other Poems, is here.

There are sharp moments of questioning and insight:
Love is always suspect.
Even if there’s never enough of it around.
You are not sure of your feelings for me,
Nor am I of mine for you.

Let’s say we’re still seeking
Perfect definitions.

Tara is a poet who writes from the heart. Her voice is searingly honest and unafraid. Through all the decades of silence, I am glad to know that this hasn’t changed. Welcome back, Tara Narayan! 

Buy Letter to God & Other Poems by Tara Narayan
https://www.granthabhiman.com/product/letter-to-god-other-poems/