My enormous thanks to poet Sunita Thind for sending me a copy of The Barging Buddhi And Other Poems in return for an honest review.
The Barging Buddhi And Other Poems was published by Black Pear Press on 30th March 2020 and is available for purchase here.
The Barging Buddhi And Other Poems
This debut collection of poems from the Indian, female perspective gives an insight into Punjabi culture in the UK.
Sunita says, ‘I don’t often find mainstream poems that share ideas on other cultures.’
Her poems are layered with deep imagery and display an irreverant, playful approach to language. Sunita is a poet who draws deeply on her dual UK-Punjabi heritage to cast a new light on multicultural Britain.
My Review of The Barging Buddhi And Other Poems
A collection of poems considering a multi-cultural life.
I have one small criticism of The Barging Buddhi And Other Poems that I would like to express before my review. I’d have preferred not to have translations into English within some of the poems themselves as I felt it broke the flow of the writing. That said, embodying the English translations alongside the original writing does model a blending of cultures, which is something we need, and is part of the poet’s life so I can appreciate why the poems may have been presented in this way. Indeed, one of the pleasures of reading The Barging Buddhi is that I learnt new language words and felt at first hand a sense of otherness that so many in the BAME community must frequently feel.
There’s a glorious richness in The Barging Buddhi so that reading the collection felt like looking at a bejewelled casket. Colours and textures weave through the writing in a very visual manner and there are even real gems like diamonds within the poems. Similarly, the other senses are wonderfully explored. I found the sense of taste, conveyed by the references to food, almost overwhelming at times and was ravenous by the time I’d finished reading the poems. I loved Sunita Thind’s ability to manipulate language with stunning metaphors and so many images of things glittering or sparkling and contrasting with the ooziness of coconut oil and honey, so that there’s a sensual and sensuous sensation reading these poems. Equally, Sunita Thind’s ability to create visceral pictures is both striking and effective so that I found many of the poems in The Barging Buddhi very affecting.
I found the themes incredibly thought provoking. Sunita Thind considers race and colour, obedience and rebellion, language and identity with general societal approaches as well as more intimate poems that reflect intimate aspects of her own life. A couple of the poems relating to the poet’s ovarian cancer are almost unbearable in their intensity.
I didn’t always find the writing in The Barging Buddhi And Other Poems immediately accessible. This is by no means a criticism. Rather, I loved the fact I needed to read closely, to concentrate and to consider what I’d read. This is a collection I will return to many times and where I’m sure I will uncover something new on each occasion. I really recommend it.
About Sunita Thind
Sunita Thind is from Bedford and lives in Derby. She is a qualified Secondary English and Primary School Teacher, a make up artist, singer, writer and nail technician. She holds a degree in English and History from Northumbria University and has had her poems published in various ezines, poetry websites, magazines and literary journals. She lives with her husband Peter and handsome Samoyed Ghost.
You can follow Sunita on Twitta @sunitathind and find her on Facebook for more information.
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