SHILLONG, March 8: Brittle, a book comprising a collection of poems, was on Wednesday released by veteran singer-songwriter Lou Majaw at Dylan’s Café, Shillong.
Authored by Riniki Chakravarty Marwein during the COVID-19 pandemic, Brittle contains poems around childhood and family, love, loss and memory.
The poems also outline how she dealt with the challenges amid the pandemic.
“I got pretty nostalgia-struck during the lockdown. My childhood and the time spent in India kept roaming in my head in flashback-forms over and over again. I was home-belted like everyone else and very worried about my loved ones. It got kind of scary, so I had to find a way to let my anxiety out. This is when I started writing the book and I can’t believe it is finally published,” the author said while reacting to the launch of her debut work.
“Nostalgia, for me, is always connected to intimacy maintenance: I want to remind myself of the people and places, and what they meant to me. For example, some poems in my book do have elements of loss, longing, and sadness, but that also reflects the positive experiences — such as how close we are as a family,” she added.
The book launch was then followed by a discussion between Marwein and the audience on poetry, music, inspirations and other subjects.
Majaw, who attended the launch event as the chief guest, recited some of the poems from Brittle along with Riniki, and performed songs for the crowd that gathered in support of the launch.
Bringing down the curtain on the event, Majaw said, “I bought Brittle last month from an e-commerce site. I loved all her poems; each so poignant and beautiful. However, a particular composition, Sired Evening, caught my attention. It’s a simple poem but quite moving and introspective at the same time. There’s something about poetry that actually transcends everything else, just like music. I’m so glad to be a part of this beautiful occasion today.”
It may be mentioned that Brittle is currently available on all leading e-commerce platforms and at select bookstores across India,
Others who were part of the launch event include The Shillong Times Editor Patricia Mukhim and filmmaker Utpal Borpujari.
