Impspired Title

BEYOND THE PETALS

by VATSALA RADHAKEESOON

In life , whatever we see is not the only living or non-living thing that exists. There is always something beyond the visible. If we have a dream or some non- materialistic perception, the force of mundaneness often attempts to pull us towards its earthy grounded aspects. All throughout life, human beings strive to keep going with this dichotomy. Beyond the Petals comprises of poems that explore those two levels. It is also a book of questions ,prompting Humankind to go deeper and deeper within the subconscious or stick to practicality for survival in the ongoing technology-driven hectic life of the 21st century. If Emily Dickinson says “I hide myself within my flower”, Vatsala Radhakeesoon in her new poetry collection wants to go farther and see the world “beyond the petals”, as the title suggests. These are mostly existential poems (such as "Who are we" and partly experimental ( “Introduction: new mode” and “Beyond the visual”), even verging on touches of visual poetry as in "Being Single" where the word routine appears in a blue and white circle. We just have to tune in to her vision of the reality around us and see the world as she sees it: a beautiful place to live in, even if sometimes a bit complicated. – Lidia Chiarelli, President of IMMAGINE & POESIA Association, Torino - Italy Resonating relentlessly with W.S Merwin’s words in spirit, Beyond the Petals is a book that takes his words seriously. These striking poems, are, indeed, concerned with the divinity of this crucial art -- poetry. Here is a book that is divine, celestial – a book that manages to make it clear that Radhakeesoon is not just adept at confronting the philosophical, but she does this without ever compromising reflective powers. Vatsala speaks for all of us, if we welcome her into our hearts, when she writes… Sweet song of Father Wind… If I can bind to the boundless, If I can wear the hat of Infinity, My true companion is surely Him. – John L. Stanizzi, Author of Ecstasy Among Ghosts and Sleepwalking In her latest poetry collection, Beyond the Petals, Vatsala Radhakeesoon guides readers along a path that urges us to take a deeper look at what is going on around us in the world. The essence of a rose is much more magnificent than its physical manifestations. The power of a soul’s spiritual truth transcends simplistic religious labels. Most importantly, in the context of Beyond the Petals, we come to learn that what is seen or read on a silicon screen during this age of technology doesn’t always align with the reality of appearances behind the veil. – Scott Thomas Outlar, Author of Abstract Visions of Light and Evermore