TAPESTRY OF MY HEART BY SUVARNA SONAVANE

Suvarna invites the readers through this book to know the importance of human values and feelings. These are the collection of the poems that will stir your emotions as they are straight from her heart. Some might make you cry, some might make you smile. Just like Life. Emotions are the essence of life, that make us, us. 

I absolutely adore cozy poetry! That's why I was thrilled to dive into 3-4 new poems every night from this collection before bedtime for five consecutive days after purchasing the book. After all, what could be better than exploring relatable and emotional poetry every day to rediscover the tapestry of my heart?

At its core, this collection is all about the complexity of emotions that shape us as we move forward in the journey of our lives. Sonavane compares the intricate fabric of one's heart with tapestry, as every significant moment in our lives is shaped by the myriad of emotions, feelings and memories that come together to create a whole picture.

While this collection tries to explore some complex emotions, at its core it's a warm and cozy hug of relatable moments and simple lessons. The first poem establishes a rather romantic tone by exploring the tender beauty of companionship and enduring nature of love by drawing comparisons with the moon, stars, earth and sky. This establishes that love can be beautiful even when there is an absence of physical proximity. The following two poems are a lot more relatable, as the second poem appreciates the mundanity and the strength of solitude, and the third poem goes on to critique the fast-paced nature of modern life, where people mistake superficial and fleeting connections as love. The fourth poem is quite heart-fluttering as it embraces a romantic theme again by celebrating the magic of first meetings in love and friendships. In Your Words pays tribute to a friend whose affirmations help the poetess feel "beautiful," "stronger," and "cheerful." Similarly, Dear Friend expresses a deep sense of gratitude for platonic support. These particular poems distinguish themselves by acknowledging emotional bonds that aren’t romantic but have the power to be equally transformative.

Meanwhile, the romantic narrative continues with poems like "You are My Seashore," "Lifetime," "Eternal," and "Dandelion Fields." Dandelion Fields in particular uses beautiful imagery to convey its message. It perfectly captures the dreamlike state of love with natural imagery of cherry blossoms, tall grass and dandelions paired with small gestures of romantic intimacy like holding hands. At its core, this poem invites the readers to a peaceful, healing and romantic canvas of love. Although other poems are just as beautiful and impactful, I continue to return to this one because of its use of healing imagery.

If I had to name one poem from the collection that really stands out for me, it would be the eighth poem titled 'Who is She?'. It is a poem with a simple, yet impactful premise. It starts with the speaker remembering her childhood and cherishing the time she spent with her mother but takes a time jump in the fourth stanza to reveal that 'SHE', who was once the mother, is now the speaker herself. She realizes that she will take on the role of a nurturer and caregiver, and one day her child might view her in the same way she once viewed her own mother. This is such a simple premise, yet I find myself pondering over the endearing nature of mother-daughter relationships as they transcend beyond individuals and become generational. "She" represents the nurturing qualities of love and care that daughters inherit when they experience similar affection from their mothers.

Tapestry of My Heart is ultimately a celebration of diverse emotions. It does not pretend to be philosophically complex, but it does promise to become a companion to its readers by allowing them to explore the poetic landscape of Suvarna Sonavale's mind. After all, poetry is more than just aesthetics, its a tapestry of human connections.

Soulful and endearing, I'd like to give this book a rating of 5 on 5.