Chiaroscuro

PANKAJ GIRI

Author: Sangita Rajbanshi Kundu

Publisher: Notion Press

Chiaroscuro, the title of this book, refers to the use of light and dark contrasts in art. It is a short collection of twenty-one poems that delve into the darkness that people experience in life due to negativity, toxicity, and depression and show that if we muster the courage to evade the negativity, eventually, the darkness will dissolve and give way to light.

As the title suggests, the book explores the challenges, fears, and sadness that affect people during difficult times, using different metaphors, stories, and imagery. The poems, though, never fail to give hope and inspiration at the end, which is heartwarming. I particularly loved the poems Four Walls And A Ceiling, The Escape, and Darkness.

The language is simple and lucid, but sometimes, I struggled to understand the meaning of certain lines. But that’s the thing with poetry; they follow different syntaxes, and I am in no position to judge as I am not well-versed in the grammar of poetry.

The illustrations are excellent and beautifully complement the nice, short poems. And before you know it, the book is over.

I would recommend this book to poetry lovers and readers who wish to unwind by reading a short, light book after a long, gruelling read.