The Blue Parasol - Tapa blanda

This book is a collection of poems by Jasmine Isar that touches upon myriad aspects of life. Some of them deal with her dreams (childhood or as an adult) or her feelings for her loved ones while others give a brief glimpse into the social and environmental evils such as female feticide and deforestation. The real trigger behind Jasmine's poems is actually her ability to discern the soul behind the mundane day-to-day happenings. This is conspicuous in the poems "The Lost Lullabies," "Life is a Butterfly," and "The Winsome Smile." How often do we really spend time thinking about that child who tries to earn a living selling flowers at the traffic signals, be it rain or storm, and appreciate her relentless pursuit? Or something as common as a butterfly with its vibrant colors going about its job, hopping from flower to flower. Or the vendors we encounter while commuting in the train to the office. Jasmine's empathy toward the fairer sex pours out in the renditions of "Fortune Redefined" and "Winds of Change." The continued atrocities toward a female child even before it comes into our world and unflinching hope of emerging successful through sustained struggle is showcased vividly in these poems. Our loved ones are always an inspiration for us in numerous ways and more so for people having the art of expressing them in the form of poetry. As with every daughter, the father holds a special place, and Jasmine has expressed her love for her ailing father in a very heart-wrenching ode in "Faith Begets Hope." Overall, the book is a collage of various moods and expressions that are experienced every day that one would not want to miss. Dr. Vidhya Rangaswamy Vice President, Reliance Technology, Reliance Industries Ltd. Mumbai, India