The Flute Player

The Flute Player by Raminder Bajwa is a powerful statement and a candid proclamation of the joy of living. At a time when the beauty of poetry and the joy of song are becoming quickly frowned upon, the poet reminds readers that there is beauty in the mundane, a powerful romance in embracing life in its diversified aspect. Now he makes a beautiful offering in this new collection, and those who have read the author’s previous works, Enlightenment and Of Angels and Few Lies, of Everything under Blue Skies, will recognize that the writing only gets better, the images more powerful, and the lines so simple they resonate in each heart.

This new and cute collection features short and beautiful poems touching on a variety of themes. The rhythm is steady and the imagery so powerful with the effects it creates. It’s grouped into four different parts, a pattern that seems to be a signature of the poet–Of Love, Observations, Wishes, and Attitude. The author writes with moving simplicity, a very accessible style, at times so limpid and strikingly enjoyable because of the conversational tone. These poems are very intimate, a candid gaze at the common realities and joys of life that we easily pass over without paying much attention. The poet offers a very curt preface in which he makes a beautiful wish: “To make you daydream once again! / In these times tragic, / So the flute player once again picks up his flute / And weaves his very magic.” He then goes on to play the flute for the readers who will discover the very beauty of pop music ringing through each poem.

From the cry of love to the definition of a poet to homage to heroes, the author opens his soul, releasing its petals to float freely, embracing life in its many forms. One of my favorite of these poems is “To Kill a Poet.” He writes, “Please take me under your soft wings. / Teach me passion, get me high, / Show me how to really fly.” It is interesting to see how the poet combines the beautiful with the tragic, touching on the oft-contradicting emotions in readers. “Tear in Your Eyes” is a beautiful ditty, a poem that will remind readers of the freedom of youth, a freedom they’d love to recreate in life. The Flute Player features the best poems of Raminder Bajwa, and what makes it most beautiful is the natural way the poems ring out. With the images that accompany these poems, readers are invited to step into a life that offers diversity and to find joy in each experience. This is a very beautiful offering to fans of poetry.