Sujatha Shankar Kumar

It was in 1995,at The School of Art Institute of Chicago,when Sujatha turned her focus to writing. In visualising and creating imagery for film, her writing took formal place in her screenplays and short stories. A few years later, in 1997 she wrote her first short poems.

Sujatha's work explores varied topics and the common strand in her poetry is the freedom that spontaneous writing brings. Art, she believes, should liberate the mind from any customary positioning.She wants her readers to walk out of the safe zones, and to walk into familiar and unfamiliar palces to experience afresh.

A graduate of NID, Ahmedabad, Sujatha began her career in furniture and continues to engage in this craft she has evolved with over fifteen years. She now lives and works in Chennai and is currently involved with photography, photographic conservation and furniture.

First Sight

Right now we like to gaze

and notice the freckles and moles

on each others skin.

discern eyes of blue from green

or black from grey

right now we forget

that unconditional surrender

has limits.

Several times

I know I was told

It cannot always be like this

Did I ask for anyone other?

Did I ask for anything other

than a cup of tea

always to taste the same

but always refreshing.

Chicago, 1997