Thiruvananthapuram: A poet is not one who writes poetry, but one who speaks to the sleeping poets among us, according to renowned writer and former principal of St. Stephen’s College, Delhi, Reverend Valsan Thambu. Speaking after releasing the poetry collection ‘Sparks Beneath the Ashes’, written by Ravikumar Pillai by handing over the first copy to Kerala’s former Chief Secretary Lizzie Jacob, he added that Ravikumar Pilai’s poems are full of contemporary issues.
Speaking on the occasion, Lizzie Jacob said the poetry collection provides a good reading experience along with the beauty of the human condition. She pointed out that Ravikumar Pillai’s poems are very different not only in terms of subject, but also in terms of words and expressions. Former Principal of University College Prof. D Maya delivered an introductory talk on the collection of poems.
Contemporary issues such as writing in the digital era, gender sensitivity, pain of old age and more, come alive in the new poetry collection ‘Sparks Beneath the Ashes’, penned by Ravi Kumar Pillai.
Pillai, who believes that anguish, alienation and assertiveness define the emotional piers of contemporary professional and personal trails, has brought out this collection of 25 poems that have a common contemporary thread. The poems deal with the vagaries of the professional mind, gender sensitivities, digitalization’s impact on narratives, pangs of aging, life’s excesses and arrogance, surge of individuality and the boldness to be the non-conformist.
Pillai, who had earlier served as a management expert in various public and private sector organisations, has written many articles in leading national dailies like Times of India, Indian Express Financial Express and Economic Times. He has also written poems, short stories, features and articles in both English and Malayalam over the years.
