Book Review of Euphonies of Heart and Soul

                                           Book Review of 

                                   Euphonies of Heart and Soul

                                         A collection of poems  

                                                        By    

                                            Dr. Parneet Jaggi

                                                 Publisher: Cyberwit. Net

                                          ISBN 978-81-8253-369-1, Year 2013 

                                          Pages 78,    Price Rs. 200/-

The book is a very fine exposition of Parneet’s literary tastes and her kindred feeling for society and humanity. Through verse she tries to draw attention towards the various strings that form the web of life. Her treatment of the subjects- which she touches- is characterized by a freshness, originality of approach and linguistic suppleness.

The collection, as she says, begins by contemplating on the reason for any human being to be born and live a life that is no less than a roller coaster ride. The society nurtures and brings up a child and the child learns its primary lessons from this same society. Societal hegemony proves to be both a boon and a bane for him. The imperfections of the societal and parochial set up forces the sensitive individuals to contemplate on its ways.

The very first poem of the anthology ‘A mystery too ironic to know….’ makes the reader sensitive about the futility of life. And ‘Lunatic’ transforms us in a melancholic mood. Her poems make us think that life is like a melodious murmur of a murmuring stream which casts a spell on every conscious observer. Perhaps life is the name of a maiden damsel that veils her flawless beauty from every stranger.

In ‘A Child Once Again’ she yearns to be a child again to pontificate innocence. ‘I was yours…’ is a saga of a woman who plays different roles in man’s life and yet asks for a right to live. ‘A desire with in…’ is an urge to break all the shackles of Id, Ego and Superego. Some of her poems question the pseudo-religious attitudes of society and strike the orthodoxies and narrow-mindedness. Whereas poems like ‘Rare moments’ takes the reader into a mystic trance.  

In poems, like ‘Dancing chrysanthemums…’, Parneet has expressed her tendency of the lyrical cadence and imagination flights in full measures. In this poem we find music in words which flows like a mighty torrent. Poems like ‘Sitting an abode….’. or ‘Lover’s peak…’ suggest that such deep feelings, such a vital radiation of the soul cannot be trammeled by the restrictions of metre or rhythm and they must find expression spontaneously like the rivers in monsoon bursting their banks and overflowing in any direction that pleases them.

It is true that real poetry is the inner voice of entire mankind. ‘It is,” says Carlylie, “not only the criticism of life, it is the very truth of life – very essence of man’s noble quest for reaching the kingdom of eternal bliss.” The poems of Parneet prove this definition true. Euphonies of Heart and Soul touches the chords of heart and provides a tonic that invigorates the withered soul of an individual in his continuous struggle in this materialistic world, as a balm that soothes the nerves. I feel that the attempt of Parneet will receive adequate notice of the perceptive readers as this anthology very well deserves.      

                                                                                   Sanjeev Gandhi

                                                                                   Dept. of English

                                                                                   Govt. College Chhachhrauli (YNR)