If a heart is longed for a long time, it is then often poured out in the finest expression of poetry. To express emotions and feelings through poems is one of the purest literary actions. Ramachandran Rajasekharan puts across his debut poetry in the form of Dewdrop and Banyan Tree. It consists 50 short readable, with clear diction, poems.

An echo of life ranges in his poetic stretch. Mainly life-related themes churn beneath his flowery words. The poet’s flair for writing is simple and lucid, we had no difficulty understanding this book in one go. Except a few abstract poems, we sighed in appreciation for the poet for his humbleness that he carried for less privileged people.

Another set of wonderful poems in the book was translated ones from Malayalam to English, which were originally written by his mother. Remembering his village, city, and office life, the poet brings the circle of life through poetry, though it’s not semi-autobiographical. You can understand that circle of life by one prominent poem – ‘I Still Remember’ – a mesmerizing poem where he is comparing two of his worlds: childhood days with grandparents and the comfort of city life. If you have had spent some time in the village and then moved on to city for life and career, this poem will throw you back in the loop of time. The flowery prose reveals the succinct universal truth about our lives.  

The title is contrasting…dewdrop and banyan tree. The former being just a wisp of water, fragile and soft and the later one a huge robust tree that lives over 100 years. Despite major differences, the poet’s mother highlights the value of purpose of life. It was originally written in Malayalam by his mother. He translated it in English without making it lose its essence.  

Nature, beauty of heart, compassion, love for self, self-esteem, and vicissitude of life, memories of childhood are some common and prevalent themes that gallop across the book. A collection as real as our feelings!!

All in all, go for it, you can engage with the poems and lean some valuable life lessons. Ramachandran Rajasekharan is a genuine contemporary poet.

Our View on the Cover Page:

The cover is simply minimalistic, in not more than three colours. It highlights the dripping dewdrops from the banyan tree. Excellent depiction. The picture speaks for itself.