Sujata Bhatt

Sujata Bhatt Poems

Sujata Bhatt is an Indian poet who was born in 1956. She received the Commonwealth Poetry Prize for her first collection Brunizem in 1987. Bhatt is known for her effective use of free verse which lends her poems a sense of urgency. Her work has been included in several anthologies and translated into English. Her other works include Monkey Shadows’ and The One Who Goes Away. She now resides in Germany.

Go to Ahmedabad

by Sujata Bhatt

‘Go to Ahmedabad’ shows the psychological struggle of an immigrant dealing with disturbing past events and contemporary issues with newly developed views.

Bhatt's poems deal with her understanding of diasporic identity. 'Go to Ahmedabad' is one of the best poems of Sujata Bhatt. Bhatt presents the journey of an immigrant understanding her identity, which is liminal but complete in its own space. Bhatt's following words on her identity echo 'Go to Ahmedabad' – "Sometimes I see myself as Indian in the world, which is very vague, or someone floating in the diaspora. I also see myself as American, especially as I get older. I find my identity very problematic. I think I'm both Indian and American. I wouldn't like to think of myself as a half-person."

Go walk the streets of Baroda,

go to Ahmedabad

and step around the cow dung

but don’t forget to look at the sky.

3 November 1984

by Sujata Bhatt

In ‘3 November 1984,’ Indian-English poet Sujata Bhatt shows how history plays a vital role in the process of writing poetry, and their interconnectedness.

I won’t buy

The New York Times today.

I can’t. I’m sorry.

But when I walk into the bookstore

For Nanabhai Bhatt

by Sujata Bhatt

‘For Nanabhai Bhatt’ is about the poet Sujata Bhatt’s grandfather, Nanabhai Bhatt, who was an educationist and activist active during the Indian independence movement.

In this dream my grandfather

comes to comfort me.

He stands apart

silent

Partition

by Sujata Bhatt

‘Partition’ by Sujata Bhatt depicts the simple tale of a woman going to a “railway station” to provide for distressed people, while her niece stays “in her garden” and “wish[es]” “she” could be brave enough to do the same.

Search for My Tongue

by Sujata Bhatt

‘Search for My Tongue’ by Sujata Bhatt describes the speaker’s struggle embracing a new culture and “tongue.” While fearing they’ll forsake the core details of who they are in the process.

The Need to Recall the Journey

by Sujata Bhatt

‘The Need to Recall the Journey’ by Sujata Bhatt is a poem about the past and a speaker’s desire to return to the moment her child was born. It was too fleeting, she feels, and she can’t help but wish she was there again.

Explore more poems from Sujata Bhatt

The One Who Goes Away

by Sujata Bhatt

‘The One Who Goes Away’ by Sujata Bhatt shares her emotional journey of leaving India and traveling to America. She entails the internal struggle to define what ‘home’ is during that period.

The Stare

by Sujata Bhatt

‘The Stare’ by Sujata Bhatt describes an interaction between a human child and a monkey child at a zoo. It conveys the peaceful curiosity the two show towards one another.

The Stinking Rose

by Sujata Bhatt

‘The Stinking Rose’ by Sujata Bhatt describes the way that garlic is judged based on its name and how a changed name might influence that fact. 

What Happened to the Elephant?

by Sujata Bhatt

‘What Happened to the Elephant?’ by Sujata Bhatt is inspired by Hindu beliefs. Specifically, she focuses on ideas of reincarnation and a child’s curiosity in it. 

What happend to the elephant

the one whose head Shiva stole

to bring his son Ganesh

   back to life?

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