The life of a woman is far from easy. Restrictive patriarchal norms dictate her choices at every step of the way and many a time, rebellion comes at a price she cannot afford. With education come empowerment and the determination to break free from the shackles of oppression. This is where the work of writers like Dr Savita Singh becomes crucial; their words can sow the seeds of revolution in the hearts of oppressed women. A feminist poet and professor of Gender Studies, Dr Singh writes to make women aware of their power and potential. In an interview with Soulveda, she talks about the role of writers in emancipating women, and the ways in which she hopes to contribute as a poet.
You are a feminist poet whose words are aimed at awakening a woman’s soul. Where do you find the inspiration for your poems?
It is difficult to say precisely where my poems come from. As we are born, we are thrown into this world to figure it out to the best of our abilities. Along the way, we realise the world is not perfect. It is constituted by a series of human prejudices that affect the vulnerable. Women find that most of these prejudices are piled up against them. So, most of my poems are an attempt to address this skewed life that women end up living as a result of patriarchal oppression.
What language do you predominantly write in?
Growing up, given the kind of schools I went to, I mostly wrote in English. At one point, I even thought that it was the language of my poetic expression. Today, most of my literary works are in Hindi. The language into which you are born is your home. The comfort that emanates from this sort of familiarity makes one think in their mother tongue. Hindi has always been my language, as intimate to me as myself. And poetry grows in this kind of intimacy.
What does it mean to be a poetess in a patriarchal society?
To be a poetess in a patriarchal society means to understand this world more acutely and to live within it defiantly as well as poetically. Violence against our gender violates our souls and bodies in a rather acute manner. Poetry is our chance to address this unfair situation through clear expression. Expression addresses and, to some extent, provides us our humanity. And if that can be attained by way of poetry, it is surely a way of finding freedom from the stacked up prejudices that constrain us.
“Violence against our gender violates our souls and bodies in a rather acute manner. Poetry is our chance to address this unfair situation through clear expression.”
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