Author’s Note

The poems in this manuscript titled Eartha – an endearment for our planet Earth, are about nature, environment, ecology, the interdependence of species, the vulnerability of plants and animals to manmade forces and the recent pandemic, that can also in part be ascribed to climate change.

I’m neither a wildlife scientist nor an authority on conservation. I need to clarify this to my readers. Hence the observations and perspectives expressed in this collection are those of an amateur  naturalist, more importantly, a poet naturalist who has had the privilege of travelling extensively in India especially in the Himalayan region. In the course of my travels, it is the birds and trees that I witness that hold me spellbound. The majestic mountains and the charming wildflowers are undeniably memorable, but it is the birds and stunning trees I encounter that remain absolutely unforgettable. The Bird-Guides with whom I explore forests are now friends and books and published works of experienced ecologists are constant inspirations. My own five senses have acted as sponges to absorb my unique experiences and served as the ink in my pen. That is how the poems of Eartha have been born and crafted.   

While writing about various species and landscapes, I have discovered, more than anything else, how little I know of the natural world and how it works. The only comforting thought is that  it is ok to be ignorant about the natural world - okay because that is how all naturalists, especially poet naturalists begin. Ignorance is the first step forward towards knowledge. What I can confess with conviction however, is that the message of conservation and the urgency to retain the balance of ecology is overt, deliberate and heartfelt.  Our biome is threatened and poetry, along with other art forms, needs to sensitise people to the fact. Animals, birds, trees and flowers are part of our natural heritage. They provide a link to the past. More importantly, they provide an ecological perspective for the future. Through poetry, songs, folk tales, stories, paintings and plays we can reflect and enquire about our Earth. Perhaps we can learn to move away from the toxic human-centric existence in which we find ourselves. The Earth in all its wholesomeness is a message of interconnectedness and interplay of all species and all landscapes. We share a biological nexus with other life forms. It is important to coexist respectfully with other species. My poetry collection Eartha, is an effort to weave together a coherent and compelling litany of parables, prayers and perspectives that draws inspiration from the wild.  It is an attempt to explore the commonalities that bind us, so that we can fulfil our responsibility to preserve what little is left of the natural world.

This collection is a humble attempt to generate awareness amongst readers to save what’s left of our planet, save in ways that only words can…with the belief that the pen is mightier than the sword, that words are powerful weapons in themselves, weapons, perhaps of the right kind. 

Vinita Agrawal

19th February 2024.