Meet the amazing Poet Radhakrishnan Krishnan!
I first met Poet Radhakrishnan in “My World Poetry Group” on Facebook. He won the contest with a beautiful poem. I had asked everyone to make me cry. His poem was composed beautifully and the meaning broke my heart. Yes everyone, it made me cry and the poem won GOLD!
and here it is…
BALLAD OF SIGH
My thoughts of love are hollowed out empty words,
Like a barren tree whose leaves cut by season’s swords,
Beneath the blue sky I once sang her love’s lullaby,
Now swirling in agony in an endless ballad of sigh.
Memories haunt me like a fearful team of ghosts,
Her beautiful memories my soul always hosts,
No matter how much I long, beg and plea,
I won’t feel the glorious spring, let alone see.
Life naked, stricken and stripped down to bare,
To fall and dry like autumnal leaves of despair,
A gnawing heartache lingers through the day and night,
Crushing melancholy taking its grip on me very tight.
My sigh travels through the muck in the air,
Amplified many times till it tears my ears,
Emptiness is surrounding me in whole,
Dissecting my heart and piercing my soul.
© K.Radhakrishnan Krishnan
“Hello, Poet Krishnan. It is so nice to meet you. I have to tell you that your poetry has really inspired my writing. Poet Krishnan, tell us a little bit about yourself.”
“Debbie, I am from BHOPAL, the capital city of the State of Madhya Pradesh, India. I am an underwriter by profession. I worked for The New India Assurance Company Ltd, India’s largest General Insurance company in the senior management cadre before retiring in Dec 2014 on attaining the age of superannuation at the age of sixty years. I am married and my wife is a sports person and had been honored by the Prime Minister Of India for her achievements in sports. We have one daughter who is married and we have a sweet grandson.”
“So nice to meet you, Mr.Krishnan. What are some of your favorite genres to read and write?”
“Debbie, I am a compulsive reader. I read all kinds of stuff be it romantic novels, philosophy, social awareness articles, biographies, poetry, etc. The same is the case with my writing too. I write poems on all topics, romanticism, sad poems, social awareness poems about peace & harmony, philosophical and spirituality about nature, etc.”
“Wow, that is wonderful Mr.Krishnan. What is your inspiration with your writing?”
“Debbie, as far as my writing of poems is concerned, I am a toddler at it. I started composing poems some eight months back after retirement from my job. During the period of these eight months I have written about 300 poems and all are well received at various poetry groups in Facebook. The inspiration came from my mother-in-law, who has authored many books in both English and Hindi. The inspiration also came from Nutan Sarawagi, my poet friend at Facebook. Initially I used to make four liner comments in her poetry posts and she inspired me to write full poems. My first poem on racism was incidentally published in “OPA Anthology on Racism.” Now I am addicted to writing poems and I write at least one poem everyday.”
“Well, I have to say Mr.Krishnan you are a natural at composing poetry. Are you a published author and if not do you plan on being?”
“Debbie, I have participated in many poetry anthologies, both online and in paperback editions. I have a dream of publishing my own solo book. I am waiting for theopportunity to do so.”
” Ahh, Mr.Krishnan. I believe your dream will come true. Tell me, what has been your greatest criticism?”
“Debbie, I am my biggest critic. Whatever I write, I keep on thinking that it needs further improvement. Apart from that none so far has been critical about my writings and I am thankful to all my poet friends that they have always encouraged me to write more.”
“Mr.Krishnan, what has been your greatest compliment?”
“Debbie, oh I receive so many of them and I am so lucky about it. I don’t know whether I deserve all those compliments, awards and certificates that I received participating in online poetry contests. They are really sources of inspiration to write more.”
“Wow, Mr. Krishnan. That is so inspiring. When you sit down to write, do you do it the old-fashioned way with pen and paper or do you use a computer?”
“Debbie, I use my laptop to write poems and save them in a file.”
“Mr. Krishnan, what do you do when you are not writing?”
“Debbie, I love taking long walks, listening to music, tending to our small garden, washing our car, giving occasional lectures on soft skills and insurance related topics, and of course reading. I did help in preparing a text book for school children on general insurance at the invitation of:”
“National Council Of Education, Research And Training to participate in their project as a professional expert.”
“That is so impressive, Mr. Krishnan. Compared to when you first started writing have you noticed any big changes in your writing style or how you write compared from then to now?”
“Debbie, practice makes every one perfect and I am no exception to this rule. When I started writing I used to make long sentences and make them rhyme. Now I can do it using small sentences too and can rhyme them well without compromising on thoughts. I feel improvement in my writing as I write more.”
“Mr. Krishnan, what do you look for in a book when you sit down to read for fun?”
“Yes Debbie, some romance, some suspense and a lot of thrills and inspiration.”
“Poet Krishnan, what has been your favorite part about being a poet?”
“Debbie, I wish the world is as peaceful as our poetry circle. Everyone in the poetry circle is so nice and encouraging each other and motivating me to write. Being in the poetic world is a pleasant surprise for me as it is quite different from the corporate world where there are elements of cut-throat competition and back biting rules.”
“Ah yes I agree, Poet Krishnan. When you walk into a bookstore where do you head to first? Why?”
“Debbie, I go straight to the children books and comics, for my grandson of course. Lol. For me it is fiction and self improvement books.”
“Mr. Krishnan, did you get to quit your day job and become a writer and or author or do you still have a day job and writing is something you do for fun? If you still have a day job, what is it?”
“After my retirement I decided to live my life on my own terms exploring many areas where I have not ventured before. I declined many job offers that came. Of course, I take up assignments towards insurance education and some consultancy work. Most of the time I am just enjoying life reading and writing.”
“Wow, Mr. Kirshnan. That is so wonderful. What has been the strangest thing a reader has asked you?”
“Debbie, as a poet I write on all aspects of life, the sad part of it, the romantic and sensual part of it. Some people who are not poets ask me whether I had undergone all the pains or romantic encounters etc. This of course amuses me. When I wrote a poem on LGBT rights, someone even asked me whether I belong to any of them.”
“Mr Krishnan, besides writing and reading, what is your most favorite thing to do?”
“Debbie, watching cricket, football and tennis matches, listening to music, enjoying political debates over the news channels, etc.”
“Mr Krishnan, we all have our little things when it comes to reading. Is there anything that bugs you when you read a novel? What is it?”
“Debbie, though it is a fiction, the violence part of a novel disturbs me a lot. But a novel is the true depiction of what is happening in real life. The violence and hate on account of religious fanaticism disturbs me a lot.”
“Mr. Krishnan, what do you listen to when you write? Do you find one type of music over another that inspires you to write? Why?”
“Debbie, I get inspiration and ideas while listening to music but while I type out my thoughts in to a poem, I prefer silence. All kinds of music inspires me. After listening to devotional songs, I write spiritual poems and after listening to romantic songs, I write love poems.”
“Mr Krishnan, what genre are you looking forward to exploring during your writing career? Why?”
“Debbie, I want to inspire the youths through my poems. I want the society to be aware of all the social ills and shun them. I want to inspire people to lead a peaceful and harmonious life irrespective of their religious beliefs. I just want people to spread love. I want to write poems to inspire people towards this.”
Here is one of Poet Krishnan’s awards for poetry.
“Mr Krishnan, what are you currently reading?”
“Debbie, I am re-reading Sherlock Holmes novels and short stories I dug up from my library.”
“Mr. Krishnan, who are your favorite authors?”
“Debbie, when I was in college my favorite authors were Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Erle Stanley Gardner. Then I also read many novels of Sidney Sheldon, Jeffrey Archer, Douglas Adams, etc. As far as poetry is concerned my all time favorites are Shakespeare, Y.B.Yeats, Sylvia Plath, Maya Angelou, Robert Frost, Emily Dickinson, William Wordsworth, John Keats, etc.”
Another award for Poet Krishnan
“Mr. Krishnan, what 7 words would you use to describe yourself?”
“Debbie, I am a bit of an introvert, always lost in my thoughts. I hate hypocrisy, hate lies, believe in love and harmony in the world. I am methodical and jovial.”
“Mr. Krishnan, I want to thank you for the wonderful interview. Is there anything else that you would like to share or say to those who will read this interview?”
“Oh, yes Debbie, through this poem…..”
WEATHER THE STORM
Ah, life, thou art tempestuous tossing us with your howling gale,
One after another striking with full might, leaving us to wail,
Battered and shattered, we are robbed of our comfort and calm,
From cradle to grave , thou torment us with mighty storms.
Many a man dared the storms and against the tides, they swam,
For weathering the storms of life, their names are etched in halls of fame,
They danced in the stormy rain and with courage and fortitude, they did gain,
Just stand tall and tough to dare the storms, you will see the bright sunshine.
The purest gold is produced from the hottest furnace, it is an undoubted fact.
The brightest thunder-bolt is elicited from the darkest storm, act with tact,
Plant your footsteps in the sea of gloom and ride the turbulent waves,
Don’t let yourself be swept away by the storms of life like dried up leaves.
We have so much strength in us even the armies of storms can not mitigate,
With love and courage in heart, let us weather life’s storms even in a spate,
Be an undaunted sailor to surge ahead in the darkest sea of adversity,
Be the one who smiles even on the brinks of misfortune and uncertainty.
© K.Radhakrishnan
You can find Poet Krishnan on Facebook on his Poetry Page.
https://www.facebook.com/hemkrish41155/?fref=ts
