Finding Peace in Words and Meter: Interview with Sanjeev Sethi by Surela C

 “In this stillness, I can see my silence

serenade my sight, which beckons smell

to dip into this draught of feelings,

resulting in a rash of rhythms -- 

autograph from forces I have no control over.”

The above lines are an excerpt from a recently published poem At the Escritoire penned by globally renowned poet Sanjeev Sethi. These words were brought to light by US based Piker Press on  April 17, 2023. Escritoire is an ornate word for study or desk, and for a poet of his stature the desk is his world that gives him undiluted happiness. Most creative individuals who understand the value of their own creative space will reciprocate with this poem. As poet words give him solace, and this spontaneous flow of emotion is expressed with great finesse later in the same poem-

“This vow of words is a serape 

I wrap myself in. It makes me serene, like

in a séance: my Hippocrene.”

Sanjeev Sethi's poems reveal his depth of knowledge in various subjects and his intense love for English literature. Therefore, it is unsurprising that he has been published in more than 400 journals, anthologies, and online literary venues. He has authored seven books of poetry. His vast oeuvre of poems on different themes has won readers' hearts in over thirty countries. His recent work, Wrappings in Bespoke, was published by The Hedgehog Poetry Press, UK, in August 2022. He is a joint winner of the Full Fat Collection Competition-Deux organized by the Hedgehog Poetry Press, UK. His reward is the publication of Wrappings in Bespoke and 100 complimentary copies.

A month prior to this, he published Strokes of Solace by CLASSIX, an imprint of Hawakal, New Delhi. He is in the top 10 of the Erbacce Prize in 2021. He is also the recipient of the Ethos Literary Award 2022. Poetry buffs can savour his work on his social media handles- on Twitter at @sanjeevpoems3 and on Instagram at sanjeevsethipoems.

Apart from writing poems, he edited an anthology of Indian poets titled Dreich Planet #1 for Hybriddreich, Scotland, in December 2022.

The bevy of awards and vast repertoire of Sanjeev Sethi must have piqued the curiosity of readers. His candid replies of an email interview with the Lampshade Writers will provide them with answers. Without further ado, let us delve into his writing journey that shaped him into a celebrated poet.

LW: When did you first start writing poetry?

I was a lonely child and extremely sensitive. I recall the joy of reading poetry … whenever in my little mind; I could make sense of poetic lines; it would delight me no end.

I had this daybook where I used to indite. I have memories of my school magazine publishing my poems. As with many poets, I fell in love, or what I thought was love, when I was thirteen or so.

The bliss and baggage that comes with early love crept into my poems. I guess there was enough inspiration in it.

LW: What was your childhood like, and did that mould your experiences, which eventually inspired you to write poetry?

I was a cantonment kid, and that milieu had no markers. Each of us searched and stumbled upon what gave us the jollies. Very early in life, I realized poetry was my thing. It was circumstances that pushed me to seek comfort in poetry. And it did balm me and still does.

LW: Why did you choose poetry as a literary form to express yourself?

I don’t think I chose poetry; it opted for me. In a forty-year writing career, I have written in various genres: journalistic pieces, interviews, reviews, etc., but inditing comes the most naturally to me. I can work on a poem for twelve hours or more without exhausting myself. No other kind of writing does that to me.

LW: When you started writing poetry initially, did you face any challenges, and how did you overcome the roadblocks?

When you enjoy something as much as I adore inditing, one doesn’t notice the roadblocks, or they don’t seem to be a hindrance. One’s drive is so pronounced that every setback triggers the adrenal push, leaving one with greater vigor to combat the shortfall.

LW: Can you walk us through your writing routine, enabling you to become a prolific poet?

I began an intense creative phase about ten years ago that continues unabated. In this phase, I have no life outside of writing. All of me is engaged in writing and its auxiliary activity. I’ve been at my desk for almost 15 hours. If this seems drudge-like, it is not. I am in it out of choice. I luxuriate in it.

LW: Who are your favourite poets, and why are their works so close to your heart?

I have no favorites. I just read and read. A line here, an idea there, a beginning somewhere, a turn of phrase, an entire poem sometimes, many poems by another. I keep flitting and flirting. I’m not a loyalist. I’m a slave of the poetic form, not of individuals who create it.

LW: How do you approach writing poetry for journals vis-à-vis writing your collection of poems?

(Emphasis is on the process and revisions needed to submit poetry for a journal vs. an anthology of

your poems)

I have a vast body of published poems worldwide, so for culling poems for an anthology, I have to see that the selected poems flow steadily and that there is no jerk for the informed reader. A poetry book has a certain rhythm, a curve. I work to get the correct meter. The basic premise is that poems that speak to me make it to the slim volume.

Submitting for journals is much easier. One is usually familiar with the editorial predilections, so one chooses poems from one’s roster that fit it.

LW: Being a global name in the world of poetry writing for different platforms, print and digital, how can one make it big as a poet?

I have no magic wand. There is no original answer here: all I can say is focus and hard work. Luck plays a part, but something I often repeat to myself: read and read some more. 

LW: Which books would you recommend young poets read before taking the pen?

In the era of the internet, there must be subscriptions to various journals and literary venues across the globe. They regularly dispatch newsletters. Being in touch with contemporary poetry helps to hone one’s style.

LW: What are your future plans?

To continue inditing as long as the process excites me, as long as I think I have something to offer my readers, as long as health permits me...Inshallah!

Though this above conversation is an e-mail interview, it flows freely like a tête-à-tête which is both deep and inspiring. Young poets who aspire to be like him should know that his daily life revolves around a good measure of writing and reading. This makes him adept to explore writing beyond poetry too. Also, they should remember that becoming an award-winning poet is not just about talent, but the passion to work relentlessly on one’s craft. This is what makes him rooted and humble even after being showered by awards and accolades.