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Book Review: Asylum and other Poems & I want a poem and other Poems by Jerry Pinto

Namrata reviews Jerry Pinto’s poetry collections – Asylum & Other Poems (Speaking Tiger, 2021) and I want a poem & Other poems (Speaking Tiger,2021) and shares how she discovered a newfound love for the poet Jerry Pinto. 



I want a poem like thick tropical rain Jerry Pinto 

These words by Jerry Pinto from the blurb of ‘I want a poem and other poems’ hang heavily in the air as I let my thoughts wander with the clouds floating away above my head. It is peak July and Mumbai looks like a million shades of grey at the moment. 

Recreating the cover images of both these poetry collections by Jerry Pinto on my desk, nudging me to finally give words to the wandering thoughts long after I have finished reading both the books. Jerry Pinto is a writer who needs no introduction. He is an award-winning poet, writer, and translator based in Mumbai. 

Having read his work across genres, I still cannot pick which side of his do I enjoy reading the most. Though this is the first time I picked up his poetry largely out of curiosity, I have discovered a newfound love for the poet Jerry Pinto after admiring his story-telling skills till now. His writing in these collections sounds more conversational, in the sense that he is speaking to you – the reader. 

Moreover, with the pandemic, my ability to read and process long hand fiction and non-fiction was badly impacted. At a time like this, these poems came around as a huge relief. For the word-lover in me, there was enough magic to continue basking in, without being exhausted.

To read the full review, please visit Kitaab

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