We all know that we should take out some time from our jam-packed routine to Ponder a while. Yes, I have cleverly embedded the title of this poetry collection by Mohit Misra, Ponder Awhile, in the opening line of this book review article. This is to demonstrate how wisely the poet has embedded many things about life, questions and curiosity, concerns and doubts in his verse. Ponder Awhile is a poetry collection and more than that.

Our daily actions and reactions, as well as thoughts, to know ourselves better and grow as better human beings should be our goal. And this is what the poems in this collection permeate. Ponder Awhile by Mohit K. Misra helps you learn this skill. You must be wondering how? Confused? This book is a collection of fifty-one poems that depict life from various perspectives. Mohit has presented vivid and unique perspectives in his verse to see and deal with the problems in the simplest way that will definitely clean-bold you. Yes, his poetry is very simple to read and convenient to understand. However, only the primary layer is easy enough to penetrate amusingly. To understand the deeper exploration of life through spiritual and philosophical paths, you will have to read these poems carefully, interpret them wisely and reach conclusions deliberately.

Initially, I was a little sceptical about reading this book as it was launched long back and I never heard about it and its author, Mohit Misra. It suddenly popped up in the popular list of poetry collections on Goodreads. I clicked on it, read its blurb and bought it but didn’t read it for almost a week. However, last evening I felt it was looking at me and telling me to read it (as I don’t have any book in my library, both virtual and physical, that I haven’t read. I feel it is disrespectful when we buy a book and keep it on a bookshelf without reading it. As books are one of the best teachers in our lives).

Now, let me share with you my experience with Ponder Awhile. I began to read this book with an empty mind but soon got pulled by this magical book. And eventually, I was all consumed by the wonderful verse by Mohit. They seem to be so perfect and relatable. For me, they are exhilarating in reading and meaningful in reality! And as I move deeper into them, I found them getting deeper and deeper, revealing unexpected perspectives and healthy solutions to deal with problems you encounter in life. It is a book that really drives home the message of how important it is to live in the moment, to follow your heart and not waste a precious second of life.

In substance, and sheer depth of it, Mohit’s poetry collection is way beyond any contemporary poetry collection I have read. The poet here deals with the grave concerns of a spiritual journey that people often experience when they are on the path of awakening, enlightenment or just realisation to be precise. You might need to be introduced to philosophical and religious texts like Gita, Upanishads, and other ancient books of wisdom to be able to understand the underlying meanings that hide behind the simplicity and lyrical lines in the poems.

I love the way Mohit has penned these poems – more thoughtful, dipping in the colours of day-to-day life. Ponder Awhile book gifted me so many new perspectives, ideas and meanings that changed the way I think and lead life, while I was reluctant to read this book. The writing was quite smooth and the thoughts of the author were clear, concise and well-explained in the form of a couplet. Overall, I thoroughly loved this collection. I’m hard-pressed to come up with any flaws or issues that annoyed me. This book is intellectually powerful and spiritually loaded.

Get a copy of the poetry collection from Amazon India – click here

Review by Parakashtha for ReadByCritics Book Blog