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Radical Rhythm, an anthology of poems by five brilliant poets of Odisha Bharati Nayak, Gyatri Mavaru, Lopamudra Mishra, Namita Rani Panda and Swapna Behera, has drawn my attention for several reasons: first, it is a collection of poems by five female poets; second, these five poets are from the same soil; thirdly, the anthology is “dedicated to the undying spirit of women” which indicates that these poets are feminist in nature; fourthly, the poets belonging to this anthology are born-poets, there is no artificiality in their voice and verse, spontaneous is their creation, simple is their language, expression is clean and impressive, there lies no hypocrisy. I am highly impressed by the poems these five poets have presented in Radical Rhythm. I wish a good luck to my favourite poets and their revolutionary anthology.

Stand up and take heed…the Cosmic Crew is in the House! Show your respect and take a moment to reflect on these poems birthed from the bosom of the feminine. These women will empower you, make you take a second look at the moon, the stars, and the Earth. But most of all, they will resonate with women (and men too) all around the world as they muse on the topics that matter the most: being a wife and mother, caring for our young, realizing our dreams and aspirations in a challenging world, and respecting and embracing nature and the earth. The poetry from these dynamic women of Odisha will leave you breathless and wanting more. To paraphrase Ms. Bharati Nayak: Take a day to decorate yourself with songs and poems, learn your language.