Shah Fazli : Ramesh Anand, Welcome to Spotlight live event,
we are so pleased to have you with us today, Ramesh, and can you introduce
yourself to everyone please, at the start of this event? — With Ramesh Anand.
Ramesh Anand : Good Morning Shah Fazli. First of all, it's
great to get associated with Spotlight thought this interview.
I have authored Newborn Smiles, a book of haiku poetry published by Cyberwit.Net Press. My haiku has appeared in many publications, across 11 countries, including Bottle Rockets Press, ACORN, Magnapoets, The Heron's Nest, Simply Haiku and Frogpond. My Haiku has been translated in German, Serbian, Japanese, Croatian, Romanian and Tamil. My short verses have been honored by Muse India, Voicesnet and Boloji. I had been nominated and shortlisted for Muse India's young writer award 2012. I work for Philips, Bangalore as the test strategist.
Shah Fazli : Thanks Ramesh, what kind of poetry Haiku is for those who
might not know much about it, can you please explain it a little more?
Ramesh Anand : Haiku is a Japanese short verse written in
three lines with S/L/S format. Hai means Humor and Ku means Poetry. Haiku
consists of fragment and phrase. They have to resonate well to get the AHA
effect. This poetry is based upon Zen Philosophy. i.e. to live in present
moment. Poetry basically captures that extraordinary moment of now, that is
always overlooked in day to day life.
Shalini Samuel : Why did you choose haiku? Is there any special
reason?
Ramesh Anand : Shalini, I always wanted to write something
that would improve my senses and get me live in present moment. Haiku is the
only poetry that does that. Creating haiku, haijin aligns himself to nature and
to this universe. Poet writing haiku is called haijin.
Shalini Samuel : Good. Say about your book "Newborn
Smiles" your experience in bringing out the book.
Ramesh Anand : Newborn Smiles is named after my daughter's
first smile which itself is the haiku moment. Newborn Smiles have 100
internationally published haiku and 30 regionally published free verses. This
book has been prefaced by this century's leading haijin, Kala. Cyberwit, India
has published this book. This book was nominated and shortlisted for India's
Young writer award for 2012. I always wanted to publish a book under my name
since college days. The subject and content has materialized only now. While
bringing out this book, I had to work with publisher and fellow poets to put
everything together. I was very fortunate to get everyone's support at the
right time. My family support is invaluable as I used to spend my weekends only
for Newborn Smiles.
Shah Fazli : Why Haiku, why not an Indian name?
Ramesh Anand : Haiku is the name gifted to this world by
Japanese. So, it is respect we pay to them by keeping the same name.
Shalini Samuel : When can we expect your next poetry
collection? We are eagerly waiting for your book. Will Cyberwit publish your
haiku again? There is a word among some poets they ask you to pay for
publishing? Is it true? If so do you think it’s good/bad?
Ramesh Anand : Shalini, my next collection would contain at
least 500 internationally published haiku. I want it to be more intense and
more classical that could be referred for ever.
I must say CyberWit plays a key role in bringing out the books of aspiring poets. Probably, they are the only one in India. I take this opportunity to say big thanks to CyberWit Publications for accepting my first work right away. For my second book, I keep the publication option wide open as my focus is more on publishing haiku at world's top quarterly journals.
See, in today's world, we are mostly reading poetry through online publications. What guaranty, a publisher has on his returns after publishing a new author’s book? So, I think it is fair that a writer provides some financial support to the publisher at least for the first book. I don't see anything wrong in paying to get the book published. It's just a gateway to next opportunity.
I must say CyberWit plays a key role in bringing out the books of aspiring poets. Probably, they are the only one in India. I take this opportunity to say big thanks to CyberWit Publications for accepting my first work right away. For my second book, I keep the publication option wide open as my focus is more on publishing haiku at world's top quarterly journals.
See, in today's world, we are mostly reading poetry through online publications. What guaranty, a publisher has on his returns after publishing a new author’s book? So, I think it is fair that a writer provides some financial support to the publisher at least for the first book. I don't see anything wrong in paying to get the book published. It's just a gateway to next opportunity.
Persian Khushi : Smiley. This is excellent sir. Would you say
that you are a sentimental poet?
Ramesh Anand : No Khushi, I am a nature's poet who observes
natural events, sleep with it and reproduce what I have seen into words for my
writers to have Wow effect, when they see the same event next time. As a
haijin, it is my duty to awake the readers to pure world.
Shah Fazli : Why do you think your book was translated in
many other languages so soon, who translated it?
Ramesh Anand : Fazli, my selected haiku have been translated
in many languages but not the entire book. Translations have been done by the
journals, in fact.
Tricia Drammeh : Have you experimented with other types of
poetry or tried writing short stories?
Ramesh Anand : Tricia, I started by translating my favorite
Tamil author, Rama Krishnan's work like short stories into English. However, it
didn't come good. During this time, I started to read free verse poetry and
tried my hands on few of them. Butterfly poem won Honorable mention in Muse
India Journal during my first month into the poetry. Then, I realized I was not
getting to where I wanted to be. During this time, I also tried Nonet,
Limerick, haiku, Senryu etc. Out of all these, haiku touched my heart deep as I
started to feel that there is some positive change happening within me in
writing about nature and its truth. My first submissions to Journals like
Simply Haiku, Notes from The Jean and Shamrock got appreciations. That is where
my haiku journey typically started from first quarter of 2011. Today, I write
haiku and sometimes Senryu [cousin of Haiku].
Persian Khushi : Sir, what is your advice for young writers?
Ramesh Anand : Khushi, I myself is young and lot of journey to
make. I think key to success in writing is to learn the nuances of each poetry
form. Being original and respecting the inner voice is very crucial to success.
Tricia Drammeh : Are there any great poets who have inspired
you?
Ramesh Anand : Yes Tricia Drammeh, a bunch of them. Kala,
Pamela, K. Ramesh, Robert Wilson, Pravat Padhy, Gautam are some comes to mind
immediately. Mrs. Angelee Deodhar and Mr. R.K Singh and Mr. Johannes Manjrekar
were torchbearers of last century for haiku poetry. K.Ramesh and Kala Ramesh
are my senior poets who started to write haiku since this century. It's a great
feeling for me vibe shoulders with these poets now.
Persian Khushi : Sir, what do you wish to achieve with your
poetry?
Ramesh Anand : Khushi, I want to awaken India and the rest of
the world to align with nature and super consciousness for the betterment of
the individual and the world.
Tricia Drammeh : How long does it take you to write a
haiku? Do you spend a great deal of time tweaking it to make it perfect, or do
the words flow perfect the first time?
Ramesh Anand : Tricia, first I have to experience something
special. For example, other day, I saw an autumn leaf tumbling with patches of
holes that showed twilight. This event registered in my mind strongly. Later, When
I sat to put this into words, I brought out the appropriate fragment “Autumn
Sky" and Phrase” Patches of twilight in the falling leaf" very
quickly. But not all haiku will fall into its place that easily. Some may
require re-experiencing the events, researching the event in detail etc.
Haiku, I worked a lot after experiencing it is,
spring drizzle
the bipinnate leaves
fold into shyness
Haiku, I worked a lot after experiencing it is,
spring drizzle
the bipinnate leaves
fold into shyness
Persian Khushi : Sir, do you write with a certain audience in
mind?
Ramesh Anand : Khushi, no, I keep only the event I
experienced in mind while writing. I don’t even decide the journals and write
accordingly. Actually, All are my audience because is there anybody who doesn't
love nature and consciousness?
Shalini Samuel : We would love to know how your family supports
your haiku journey.
Ramesh Anand : Shalini, I always share my fresh haiku with my
wife, Divya and see her response through her eyes. She is my first critic. My
parents also read my work but only after it gets published. My wife, Divya
helped me a lot to get the first book published and also to distribute the book
to the elite authors for their reviews. Many times, I got my haiku from my
daughter's activities. They are priceless to me.
All, Thanks for your wonderful questions. I enjoyed answering them with great pleasure and straight from the heart. Believe, I have done justice to all the writers who took time to interview me. They were very warming and so focused on the subject. This is really good for the start. But, I expect more challenging and self-awakening questions in the future that shall drive my journey faster and more intense.
All, Thanks for your wonderful questions. I enjoyed answering them with great pleasure and straight from the heart. Believe, I have done justice to all the writers who took time to interview me. They were very warming and so focused on the subject. This is really good for the start. But, I expect more challenging and self-awakening questions in the future that shall drive my journey faster and more intense.
Special thanks to Spotlight's Fazli and Shalini
for giving this opportunity. Great to be part of spotlight through this
interview. All the best.
22-Apr-2013 More by : Ramesh
Anand - See more at:
http://www.boloji.com/index.cfm?md=Content&sd=Articles&ArticleID=14316#sthash.LSODBsfz.dpuf
http://www.boloji.com/index.cfm?md=Content&sd=Articles&ArticleID=14316
