Kamala Das is recognised as one of India’s foremost poets. Das was born on 31 March 1934 in Malabar, in the state of Kerala, southwest India. Her love of poetry was influenced by her great uncle, Nalapat Narayan Menon, a prominent writer. She was also deeply affected by the poetry of her mother and the sacred writings kept by the matriarchal community of Nayars. Das was privately educated until the age of 15 when she got married.

Das’ achievements extend well beyond her verses of poetry. She had also dabbled in painting, fiction and even politics. However, in 1984, Das failed to win a place in parliament

Das dares to break the traditional way of writing about nationalist themes such as legends, religious and general ethical statements to writing about personal experiences and the social issues of women. She has gone far beyond the stereotype of longings and complaining and wrote creatively with deep feelings of the taboo subjects that Indian women are often silence about.

Here is one of her well-known poems.

The Looking Glass

Getting a man to love you is easy
Only be honest about your wants as
Woman. Stand nude before the glass with him
So that he sees himself the stronger one
And believes it so, and you so much more
Softer, younger, lovelier. Admit your
Admiration. Notice the perfection
Of his limbs, his eyes reddening under
The shower, the shy walk across the bathroom floor,
Dropping towels, and the jerky way he
Urinates. All the fond details that make
Him male and your only man. Gift him all,
Gift him what makes you woman, the scent of
Long hair, the must of sweat between the breasts,
The warm shock of menstrual blood, and all your
Endless female hungers. Oh yes, getting
A man to love is easy, but living
Without him afterwards may have to be
Faced. A living without life when you move
Around, meeting strangers, with your eyes that
Gave up their search, with ears that hear only
His last voice calling out your name and your
Body which once under his touch had gleamed
Like burnished brass, now drab and destitute.

Kamala Das (1934 – )