My memoir "The Letter"

Publishing a book is like giving birth to a baby with all the pains and joy of having the baby during the process of delivery. This realization dawns on me  as I had gone through both the processes: childbirth and publishing a book.
After I had published my book of poems "Land of the Dancing Deer,"  and "Symphony of Heart Songs" I finally could complete my memoir "The Letter"
"The Letter"a memoir was  published in 2014. My friends and readers had given me words of encouragement and support. I am so grateful to all. I want to share some of the comments I had received.



Customer reviews at amazon.com for the book The Letter by Jamuna Devi Advani

A Cultural Understanding

By LaDonna Fehlberg

Format: Jamuna Devi Advani writes with definitive honesty and touches the tender spot of recollection with heart in her new book, The Letter. Her notations and memories served her well in recounting her childhood, young adult life progressing to present times in the United States. She is gifting following generations of heirs, friends and general readership. Readers are  entertained as well as more knowledgeable about the circumstances, customs and creativity of Jamuna’s life in her homeland India. It certainly satisfies some of the questions about the changes and what holds fast in her country. She relates her past experiences with her innate grace and allows us to know she is always ready for new experiences.

The letter below was sent through my daughter Lata, I acknowledge this letter with all my heart. Thank you Purobi.

 

Dear Girls,

I would like to share something-----a friend of mine handed me a book to read (knowing my deep nostalgia for the North East) telling me it was the story of a Manipuri lady----- as I started reading the book which unfolded beautifully, I realized the lady in question was the mother of Lata and Shobha Advani, who were my seniors while at school --- the book is called The Letter by Jamuna Devi Advani and it has so many threads interspersed----- the history of her family, the Second World War and the North East as we all know it ----for most parts inaccessible, beautiful and always tugging at our hearts---- I recommend this read for all --- and Lata Advani Visieu, do convey to your mother how deeply her writing touches heart -----from Purobi Memon.

Spring in the air

Spring In The Air

As spring teases with Prussian sky

Apple and cherry blossoms in abundance

I love to embrace the moment

Like a bee in his blossoms.

As spring slips gradually

 Easter came and gone

The stir of excitement

In egg hunting

Already calmed down.

The graduates of all levels proudly

Show their prize possessions.

As celebrations for

Mother’s day, Father’s day to roll on.

Spring  still continues to pamper us

and couples in love with wedding bells in the air.

 

In memory of Rup Advani

WHEN YOU ARE GONE

My space is empty

Only solitude remains.

In the shadow of sadness                                                                                 

Trying to erase you from my mind,

But the moment eyes closed

You’re there standing.

Do you remember?

“No more private dreams

Our dreams mingled

Two souls unite

When love finds and binds the two of us”. 

Do you remember?

All the comforts of life we shared,

Happy and sad days combined, you by my side.        

Warrant of destiny came in surprise form

And you’re gone forever.

Only the presence of happy memories remains, now tinged with sadness!

Inescapable sorrows and happiness are elements of solitude for the moment?

(Rup, my soul mate for 36 years left this worldly abode on February 17 1997.  I post this poem in his fond memory.)

The  Two Crows

Two crows perched on a lamp post with a vengeance

After attacking the poor creature, not sure egret or hawk

The poor lone bird

 Trying to escape from its invaders

Cried aloud while the two on its either side,

Quacking quack, quack like a gunshot,

My eyes couldn:t miss it even for a blink.

The lone desperate bird in a magic turn

 Escaped and vanished into oblivion

The two angry crows sat on the lamp post throne

Claiming their kingdom on the sky

With a haughty look,

While I blamed myself for missing a chance of a video. 

The letter from a young friend.

In continuation of my previous post this is another part of the letter my young friend sent me. I post it in appreciation of his gesture. As mentioned earlier he is pastor and aspiring to become a qualified school teacher. I wish you Mr.Choong Man Kim all the best. Thank you for your encouraging words. 

This is a letter I recently received from a young man aspiring to become a teacher. His recent collection of my poetry books "The Land of Dancing Dear"  and "Symphony of Heart Songs" has been an inspiration for him to read the poems to his students in a school where he is helping in the class. He is still reading my memoir "The Letter"and I do hope to  get feedback from him some time soon. Still more to post.