29 Comments
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Alaknanda Sengupta's avatar

And the two photos are absolutely lovely!

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Rohan Banerjee's avatar

I am poetry-illiterate (alas) but this has such a lovely rhythm and cadence.

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Raju Tai's avatar

Thank you Rohan. You heard the rhythm. That’s poetry-literacy enough. ❤️

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Sanket's avatar

I savoured this slowly. First in your voice. Then reading in my head. Finally reading aloud. There is so much warmth around the poem. And so much depth in it. Thank you for sharing

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Raju Tai's avatar

Thank you Sanket. You teach me how to slow down and read. 💚❤️

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Binu Sivan's avatar

A poem we should all recite to our inner child. Loved the poem, and the photographs. ❤️

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Raju Tai's avatar

Binu, thank you 💚♥️

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Alaknanda Sengupta's avatar

This is so, so artistic. A Love letter to the self. Love how the punctuations create the rhythm. It is deep and abstract and earthy at the same time. 💖💖💖 And yes...this is something to be read aaraam se!

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Raju Tai's avatar

Thank you Alaknanda ♥️🌸✨🫰🌺🌻 you always read with love.

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Sanskriti Bhatia's avatar

My favourite poet has made her poetry debut on Substack 🫶🫶

This was gorgeous!

“Parties of affection around pools of ink. Don’t your feel the power, child”✨

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Raju Tai's avatar

Thank you sweetheart. ❤️💙

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Khyati Parekh's avatar

Uffff oh God.

Moist soil.

Papayas

Parties of affection around pools of ink.

Sitting on nectar and waiting for a shower.

This poem is So much. And Everything ❤️

Keep writing Raju.

And keep narrating. It has a ton of more power in your voice ❤️❤️

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Sanobar Sabah's avatar

Oh and Priyanka's pictures gelled so well with your ghazal! What a perfect pick!

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Sanobar Sabah's avatar

This was such a soothing ghazal, Raju Tai. Just what I needed to end my crazy day. I heard this (without speeding it!) in the background while I baked chocolate chip banana oatmeal muffins :) I experienced slowing down <3

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Ujjwala Kaushik's avatar

What a soothing poem! I felt hope when reading it. 🌷

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Raju Tai's avatar

What else would I want? Thank you so much ♥️🌺

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Priyanka Sacheti's avatar

Am so honored that my photos nestle amid the reaffirming and nourishing gorgeousness that are your words❤️ Thank you for thinking of me!

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Raju Tai's avatar

💙🪷🌈

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Aditi Garg's avatar

More power to the inner child! It is beautiful 🩵

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Raju Tai's avatar

Thank you Aditi ❤️

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Anoddyellow's avatar

lovely soothing poem Raju. i liked the use of the radif as well. brought such a lovely rhythmn to it.

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Raju Tai's avatar

Yay! Thank you 🥰

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Priyanka Bhadani's avatar

Read it in your voice, Raju. And loved this, “I'll hold you gently, as we stem up through life, I'll be your moist soil.” 🤍

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Raju Tai's avatar

Thank you for listening, Priyanka. 💙🌸

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Nikita Deshpande's avatar

Beaaaaaautiful poem

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Raju Tai's avatar

Pack up. Nikita likes my poem. Ab ghar jaake so jaate hain.. 😁

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Mindfully Me's avatar

"Parties of affection around pools of ink" what a line- full love happened :)

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Raju Tai's avatar

Yay! See you at the party next Friday 💙🌈

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