Beyond the bend

Abstract

This single-authored contribution to the special issue on ‘Indian-Australian Exchanges’ reflects the power of poetry to connect us and provide us with strength through challenging times. The article arises from a correspondence that arose then was cut short due to intervening circumstances. That correspondence occurred between myself, Ranu Uniyal, and Australian poet Quinn Eades, who was initially selected for the project but had to withdraw when conflicting responsibilities arose. There was nonetheless an initial exchange of poems between us. We read and appreciated each other’s writings, but due to upheavals including but exceeding challenges associated with the Victorian Bushfires and then the COVID-19 pandemic, our conversation was less extensive than initially planned. Nonetheless, the work presented in this article reflects how poetry can still happen when everything else fails. In times of crisis, poetry becomes an ally and a possible confidante. 2020 has been, for many people around the world, a year of excruciating pain, of loss of life and dignity. Living is uncertain and the future dark; the present has little to offer, swamped by distrust, difference and disillusionment. Humankind has been humbled by the virus. Where does poetry lead us in these moments of anxiety and fear? This article traces one pathway.