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Nanaimo poet laureate releases new poetry book

‘What Does the Wind Say?’ is the fifth book by Kamal Parmar
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Nanaimo poet laureate Kamal Parmar has released her latest book, ‘What Does the Wind Say?’ (Photo courtesy HA Photography)

Nanaimo’s poet laureate has released her fifth book.

On Oct. 24 Kamal Parmar unveils her latest poetry collection, What Does the Wind Say? in an online book launch presented by the Burnaby Writers’ Society. Parmar said she hopes to hold an in-person launch event in Nanaimo as well.

Parmar said she wrote What Does the Wind Say? soon after her last book, Still Waters, a “poetic memoir” that reflects on her mother’s struggle with Alzheimer’s disease. She said her new book is about life’s phases and unexpected challenges. She was also inspired by the words of two renowned writers.

“I kept thinking that there’s a lot of uncertainty in life, but if you don’t really enjoy it it’ll be like what Shakespeare [said] in the play Macbeth: ‘Life is just but a walking shadow, a poor player,’” she said. “However, Bernard Shaw, the American author and poet, says, ‘Life is no brief candle. It’s a splendid torch.’ So those lines really stuck with me and I said, ‘Why not try and write more about it?’”

Parmar said the poems suggest the past, present and future are just milestones in a life she describes as a “long and winding journey with curveballs thrown in.” She said she wants to leave readers in a pensive mood.

“In my poems I write to speak of it more passionately about the limitations of mortal life and the longing to transcend its true meaning and to beat the odds,” Parmar said. “At the end they reflect a lot of positivity and optimism and nudge to reader to live to the fullest and not to sink back into [lamenting] life is short.”

What Does the Wind Say? is available at Chapters at Woodgrove Centre, Windowseat Books, 309C Wesley St., and Well Read Books, 19 Commercial St.

WHAT’S ON … Kamal Parmar online book launch presented through the Burnaby Writers’ Society takes place Oct. 24 at noon over Zoom. To register, e-mail info@bws.bc.ca or message the Burnaby Writers’ Society Facebook page.

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