‘Myriad Of Dreams’ by Nisha Tandon is a collection of seventy-five poems. Published by Notionpress in 2021, this is the third book coming from Nisha after “Footprint”- an anthology of poems in English and “Chand Ehsaas”- a collection of poems in Hindi. Nisha says, “Myriad of Dreams, is a personal interpretation of my memories over the course of my life.” The poems take us on an emotional ride; where we get to see myriad shades of a journey that is called life.
In ‘Myriad of Dreams’ author has talked about diverse topics through her poetry. We find poems on nature, women empowerment, love for the nation, love for family, and various emotions. So diverse is her range of topics that a poem on ‘Candyfloss Man’ too finds a place in her collection. The index is placed in an alphabetical manner so as we read, we come across a surprise with a poem that may be talking about a completely different topic from the one before. Each poem is also accompanied by a quote and a picture that goes with the theme of the poem. Through this, we also get a glimpse of the poet's beautiful family in some of the pages.
The cover page of the book is a beautiful picture of a dreamcatcher painted by the author herself.
Nisha’s book begins with her love for nature. ‘Advent of Dawn’, ‘Bridal Earth’, ‘Nature’s Muse’, ‘The Arched Bow’, ‘Water, The Elixir of Life’, ‘Widowed Trees’ are some of the poems in this category. ‘Autumn Musings’ is the first poem in the book where she catches the breathtaking beauty of the season and paints the picture of autumn majestically with her words.
‘As the edges of leaves change to burnt yellow and crimson
It’s the perfect time to enjoy the last warmth of flaming sun
Longer cosy nights are here as the days get shortened
Smoke from wood fires have at long last begun.’
‘A Wintery Night’ talks about the,
‘One desire to lie languidly around the quaint fireplace,
The wood fire blazing in lively flames as they curl and sway.’ The lines from the poem set the perfect picture for winters with ‘quivering wind’ and ‘the frozen grass’ and the desire to be in a warm place.
While in ‘Spring is Here’ where we find the poet's heart ‘blithely hum a melodic song’, ‘Summer Spell’ leaves the readers enchanted with the fascinating use of metaphors.
There are poems on cities that are close to the heart of poeta. ‘Age Old Charm’ takes us to the desert city of Dubai. ‘Undaunted Spirit of Mumbai’ unfolds the fast-paced life of hustling and bustling ‘amchi Mumbai.’
Some patriotic poems written by Nisha too find a place in her ‘Myriad of Dreams.’ ‘Motherland’, ‘Pulwama to Balakot’, and ‘Sacrifice’ speak volumes about the love for the motherland and the sacrifices of our soldiers.
‘We bow down to their patriotism and hail their victory
They sacrificed their lives fearlessly for their beloved country.’
Nisha’s thoughts resonate with the heart of every Indian as we read through the lines of her poems.
The poet also talks about the woman of substance in ‘A Woman so Divine’ where we also get a glimpse of Nisha Tandon’s graphic picture with her radiant smile. Definitely with the following lines;
‘A passionate heart
With a soul so pure
With her mysterious ways
She can only lure.’
We get a glimpse of the inner beauty the poeta carries.
‘Every Day is Her Day’ is one of the powerful poems dedicated to the strength a mother carries. ‘I am Not Ashamed’ takes us on the brave front of ladies who make their way through stigmas and prejudices and come up as empowered personalities. While poem like ‘She is Childlike’ brings out the innocence and simplicity of a woman ‘Sweet Revenge’ tells the reader not to take her innocence for granted.
There are some sets of motivational and inspirational poems as well in Nisha’s collection. From ‘Happiness’ to ‘Heartbroken’ one can find various hues of emotions running in her poetry. These poems have a philosophical tone and reflect on nitty-gritty of life ‘Broken Dreams’ ‘Can Never Say Goodbye’, ‘Eternal Black’, ‘Fades with Time’, to name a few.
These lines from ‘Unafraid to Fly’
‘Unafraid and dauntless
Every step I take, I am bound to win
I am unstoppable
A lot of courage I muster within’ are enough to kindle the light of enthusiasm in any person.
The book is filled with love and charm and definitely very close to the poet as it has beautiful poems penned on her family, showcasing some personal pictures as well. Nisha has used simple English in most of her poetry and that helps readers to have an instant connection with what she is trying to express. Having such a diverse range of topics in the collection it would have been great if the author could have divided the book into sections. Nevertheless, Nisha Tandon’s ‘Myriad of Dreams’ is a book full of positive vibes and one cannot but escape the energy she transfers through her words while reading her poetry
Review made by Associate Editor Shristee Singh
Nisha Tandon, a bilingual poetess has marked her name in poetry with her soulful poetry. An entrepreneur by profession, Nisha Tandon has used her life experience in a well-articulated and rhythmic tone in her poetries. Starting her poetic journey with her first collection, Footprints; she has come a long way in her credentials as a poetess. She has successfully published her second book ,"Chand Ehsaas" in Hindi and 'Myriad of Dreams' is her third poetry collection in English. Currently residing in Dubai, she has been an individual with various attributes. Apart from holding a reputed position in an HR & Training Consulting Firm, she has worked in hotels, educational institutions and corporate entities.