Ariadne’s notes: The World Poetry Café Radio Show with host Ariadne Sawyer welcomed the poet, dancer, actress and soon to be author Sherry Duggal . Also featured was the e-poem by San Francisco poet Clara Hsu with a fascinating performance piece called Kumiss (fermented mare’s milk a Tuvan drink.”Kumiss” the poem is an ecstatic response to the throat singing, and of course, to the short but fantastic life that of Kongar-ol Ondar.Here is a link to Ondar’s performance:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVyyhHFKI8E
To hear this exceptional show Click Here! Note: link not available yet. Contact Co-op Radio for more information. www.coopradio.org
Sherry Duggal is a naturopathic doctor who is now focusing on her creative side. She has written for prominent magazines such as Darpan Magazine and the Canadian Immigrant Magazine, a branch of the Toronto Star. Her other works are performance oriented. Sherry presented her comedy play “Love Therapy” at the Masala Mehndi Masti! festival, the biggest South Asian Festival in North America. One of eight featured writers, her one woman act “Epiphany” was presented as part of the Pull Festival in Vancouver, B.C. She also presented her play “Eve: A Balancing Act” at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and has also recently performed in New Delhi, India. Sherry was the lead in a feature film called “Plus” and has worked on a number of short films and music videos, while training at various acting studios in Vancouver, B.C. This is her first book, where she combines her passion of the written word with her knowledge of mind/ body medicine.
Poem.
Being a woman is being
everywhere
at the same time
a taste of the sublime
a universal chime
encompassed in this rhyme
She takes you closer to god
closer to the divine
and shows you the compassion
beneath the crime
Being a woman is just being yourself
it can’t be learnt
she is a sweet fragrance
emanating
from that which is burnt
passion and fire
ignite
filling you with light
she is the will behind the fight
always
standing up for what is right
A staircase going up
she takes you to new heights
she can’t be learnt
but
gives you wisdom and insights
She is the blue sky in disguise
the wonder in a surprise
she is sweat and blood and tears
the truth hidden in lies
all the hard work and struggle
before the coveted prize
being a woman is being human
it is our destiny
our fate
being a woman is all inclusive
like an inborn genetic trait
Being a woman is a talent
a clean slate
a leap of the imagination
the moment before you create
she is a new thought
an idea
that comes from deep within
she is a well full of treasures
a place we’ve all been
she is familiar territory
the ground beneath us all
recall
her
outstretched hands
ready
to catch us
before we fall
She is velvet
the smell of
fresh laundry
in the air
she is gratitude
and soft wishes
underneath
each and every prayer
She is both medicine and pain
the intoxication
found in champagne
she is art
and expression
she does heal and sustain
she is the force
behind
the mastermind
the brain
inside her are
seeds
drenched in rain
the future she does contain
She aims for the sky
and grows like a tree
she is the sacred space
around
which children roam free
her roots hold it all together
we are her family
her eyes
are full of wild abandon
in them
i see
you
and me
she tells us to love ourselves
for who we are
hips, curves
and all that may be
eyes lined with kohl
she shows us the window to our soul
her presence
makes us whole
helping us to fulfill
our goal
being a woman is in our blood
emotions that flood
in tribal rhythms
and ancient songs
she drips
appearing as dewdrops on a bud
Being a woman is taking a chance
a step into the unknown
she is unchartered territory
that takes you out of your comfort zone
there is music in her dance
as she takes you into a trance
she is
one of the seven wonders
full of mystery
and romance
she is the whole world’s mystique
magic
creation in all its expanse
encompassed
in one single glance
She is the language of a nation
sometimes lost in translation
the meaning in a narration
a life giving
affirmation
she is captured
in this rhyme
frozen in time
encompassed in words
that foresee
being a woman
is natural
as close to nature as one can be
opening doors
she is the master key
giving birth
to you
to me
our progeny
copyright @ sherryduggal
Synopsis: “Beneath The Surface” is an exploration of a healing journey, taking you right into the world of the central character. The five elements tie everything together, giving way to imagery inspired by Chinese Medicine Philosophy. As the protagonist expresses herself through stream of consciousness, emotions come up to the surface. She works through them and they become a part of her being, represented as blood flow. Blood imagery highlights the mind body connection as characters come in and out of her life like figments of her imagination. Underlying all of this is the central question “What is joy?” She starts by focusing on the external, the physical- manifesting as matter. Her mind then takes over. As mind overcomes matter, emotions continue to push her forward in her learning journey where she finally lets go. Mind and matter come together as she realizes that everything she needs is inside of her. Happiness comes from within… and the process continues.
Sherry on the World Poetry Café Radio Show
Subscribe