
Poetry is one of the genres of literary writing that has and will always remain open to experimenting and testing of new forms. One such marvel of testing and experimentation is Dr. Diwakar Pokhriyal‘s collection of poetry having the title, “There’s a poet in everyone”. Without and doubts or disputes, the writing definetly is a poetry collection but the things that add to the charm and make the work attractive are the style where the poet has freely experimented and even expressed his thoughts at the same time and secondly the uncommon and unique layout of his poems. His artistic ability can be seen at it’s horizons at a few places here and there. Another trait that can not be ignored in his poetry is the conversational style he has tried. To quite an extent, now and again the poet keeps reinforcing the idea of there being a poet in every single person. The poet seems to have read poetry giants well before attempting to try his hand in writing. His perfect knowledge of the forms is very much visible in the poems he writes.
The fact that he has written poems keeping in mind the different styles of poetry that have been written throughout the ages points out how well read he is with poetry. The literary devices rhyme schemes he uses to write the poems appear to be the work of an exceptional artist or a genius perhaps. He uses styles like alliteration, free verse, haiku, remix and also possible styles of the reader’s wildest imagination. He fearlessly writes and introduces his own styles and ideas in writing his work. This fearlessness is what makes him naturally acceptable to the reader. Pokhriyal is knowledgeable and aware of this fact and that is what makes him fearless in experimentation.
Also, another noticeable about his poems is the vast number of themes and subjects he covers. He covers subjects ranging from love, death, urban city life, technology, human relationships, life and its experiences and much more. The best part is that he explores these subjects effortlessly despite their being diverse and very different from one another.
In a time when people are more or less trying to express what they feel and they have been through, Pokhriyal goes beyond the boundaries of experience and tries to explore things not experienced by him so far.
In “Poet’s Corner” the poet clearly mentions about his idea of introducing new, innovative and different forms of poetry. He fulfills his promise justifiably as each poem progresses from one to the other. Even the name “Poet’s corner” reminds the reader of the grandfather of English literature, Geoffrey Chaucer. This itself is just one highlight of how knowledgeable and deeply connected the poet is to literature.
Th cover picture shows a girl sitting with a pen and paper lost in thought about what to write next. Her eyes show an eagerness to give words to her thoughts and probably this is also reflective of the state of mind of the poet too. The fact that he chose to keep the cover colorful is only to bring home the fact that poetry is something meant to be and can be easily enjoyed. All colors of life are present in poetry and these colors add to the beauty making reading a memorable experience for the reader.
A person who is deeply involved in poetry or has a fair idea of poetic styles and forms would find scholarly application here and also simplicity of words. Also, the aspiring and budding poets would also find a treat of inspiration and also a fountain of knowledge. Even those who are unaware and uninformed about the diverse styles of poetry writing can try reading the poems Pokhriyal has written. If nothing else, they will definitely get to learn a lot of new things about literature and get to see new dimensions of its beauty.
But unfortunately he can’t be a popular among the younger readers due to the intricate nature of his work. But in the long run, his work has the potential to stand the test of time and become a part of the literary canon.
Author Name: Dr. Diwakar Pokhriyal
Book Title: There’s a Poet in Everyone
Publisher: Inkquills Publishing House (2 December 2019)
Review By: Akhila at Criticspace