_edited.png)
Conversations with the Books on my Shelf
MEET THE POET BEHIND 'ON EVENTIDE'S COATTAILS' TRIDIP PATIR
Q1. Please introduce yourself.
I am Tridip. I come from a small town in the Northeastern corner of India, specifically, Assam. Growing up around the hills, I was introduced to poetry, music, and the magic of the spoken word at a very young age. I did my Bachelor’s and Master’s from the University of Delhi, but I always stuck to my roots. To this day, even though I reside in Delhi, I write and quite often reminisce about the lush green landscape I grew up in. I can confidently say that my writing, for better or worse, has been influenced by Assam. The misty mornings, the majestic rivers, the almost never-ending rain. All of these things have played an important role in who I am as a writer today.
Q2. What inspired you to choose the title On Eventide’s Coattails? Why does evening, or “eventide, hold such poetic importance for you?
I don’t know what it is, or if this even a real phenomenon, but I can never write poetry during the day. Perhaps it is the noise of everyday life that deters me in the afternoons or mornings. Truest poetry, for me, always arrives in the evening. I think my realest self shows at the end of the day - that tiny window of time, before sleep, but after daytime tidings. That ‘window’ is when I have always written my poems. You could say, I owe all of my writings to evening, or “eventide”, then. That is why I say I simply ride on the coattails of evening’s magic. The time of the day where I am at my most vulnerable emotionally.
Q3. Your poems blend philosophy, emotion, and imagery quite beautifully. What does the writing process for you typically look like?
I am not a classically trained poet or writer. I do not think about technical metres like iambic, dactyl, or anapest. I, personally, have always written through emotions alone. I do not knock technical writing, but I think laying down to paper what your heart feels, without worrying at all about whether this or that is in perfect form, is the most ideal way to compose poetry. I think this can even be extended beyond poetry. I play the guitar, and even there, I do not compose through a technical lens. Rather, I play what sounds good. I write what sounds good to me. I do just that for poetry. That is why all my writings are in free verse. Undulated and unbound.
Q4. Is there a particular poem in the book that you particularly enjoyed crafting? If yes, then why does it stand out for you?
The book collects poems written between the ages of 16-25. It covers a huge ground, and the answer to the poem that I enjoyed crafting the most, I think, depends on the age when I wrote said poem. However, if you ask me today, it most probably is “Departing”. I think in my younger years, there was a grandeur to the way I wrote verses. With “Departing” however, I think I transitioned into the current poet that I am - restrained, minimal, yet profound. At least I hope that is what my writing is read as!
Q5. Many poems in this collection explore grief, longing, and loneliness. How do these emotions inform your writing?
Having lost my father at the young age of 13, I saw the world in a new light that most have not. After his passing, I would often spend my days alone, as my mother had to go to her work. Being without many friends of my own, books, writing and music, all became the closest of my friends. Whenever I write, I like to believe I tap into the same grief and loneliness that I had felt at 13, and the subsequent years when I had to find purpose and happiness in being by myself. I think there is a sort of dignity in not allowing loneliness to subjugate you, but rather to find peace in it. Perhaps that is why I write so much about it. I hope to make it a friend to me.
Q6. “Ashes to Ashes” is a poem that feels politically charged. What role do you think poetry plays in social and political critique?
Ashes to Ashes and Sarajevo by Candlelight, I believe, are two of the most politically charged poems that I have ever written. It is also interesting that both of them feature in the same book. I wrote Sarajevo by Candlelight in the backdrop of the Bosnian War back in the 90s. Ashes to Ashes, however, is more universal. Poetry is how we express our emotions. It is not unlike writing a politically charged essay or singing for the plight of every, say, colonised people. It is not different from singing for every small child that suffers due to wars created by people living in penthouses. One can revolt via the sword, but a revolt via the pen is eternal. Just ask Bob Dylan.
Q7. “Yummair Mé:tom,” is written in the Mishing language. What inspired this multilingual approach?
Being from one of the hill communities of Northeast India, I have always been interested in our own folk songs and laments. I want to preserve these age-old songs and the language, in general. I love composing in English, but there is an ancient magic in composing in my mother tongue. The language, Mishing, being sino-tibetan and borne of the Himalayas, has a sense of ethereal underpinning to it. I want to introduce this language to the world, and so, I write in it every chance I get. I think I am inspired mostly by Gaelic songs. Many Irish or Scots people have been trying to revive their mother tongues, moving away from English. Gaelic, just like Mishing, has that old-world, magical charm to it. I love that.
Q8. What has the self-publishing experience been like for you? Can you walk your readers through your journey?
Self-Publishing can sometimes get a bad rep because of it perhaps not being as prestigious as traditional publishing. However, self-publishing has so many benefits to it that such criticisms should not even matter. For one, self-publishing enables you to have 100% full autonomy when it comes to publishing. You do not need to cut anything out, do not need to bend to editorial standards, or wait for months on end. Whereas with traditional publishing, you often have to hope that you find a publisher and editor that sees your book and vision in the same light as you. If you do not, well, good luck. Self-Publishing removes all of these hurdles. It is a rich and engaging experience to wear so many hats in bringing your vision to life. The only downside, perhaps, is that you have to do all the marketing on your own. If you find yourself okay with that aspect, by all means, self-publish. The era of strict publishing houses is long gone.
Q9. What advice would you give to aspiring poets or authors?
Just write. It does not matter if you think it is good or bad. But pick up the pen, or the keyboard, and just write/type away. All writers, trust me, have this threshold that stops us. The fear that our writing will be ridiculed by the world. The feeling of, “what if I am not good enough?”. There comes a time when we must be brave. I would advise you to write and write, and once it is done, share it with the world unapologetically. Never bend down to the world, but rather invite it to rise to your emotions and to your inner self. You will be surprised at how many appreciate that inner world of yours. Just step out of that threshold, friend.
Q10. What message or feeling do you hope the readers carry with them after reading your poems?
My poems have tried to show this private, inner world of mine to the entire world. I would hope the readers see that sometimes there is beauty in what is often considered melancholia. I have tried to imbue strength into loneliness, some nobility into departure, and some upliftment into separation. These are opposing spheres, and yet I have tried to reconcile them. I hope the readers see themselves in many of my poems and find affinity. The one message I want them to take from my writing is simply - just because you are alone, it doesn’t mean that you are lonely. Dignity through even suffering, that is the Assamese way. Sometimes, you see, there is an entire universe and world spoken in tiny words left restrained.
Click on the cover page below to explore the culmination of Patir's inspiring, emotional and thought-provoking poetic reflections!
