#Sustainability

Sustainable Love- A Concrete (Visual) Poetry

Image of a person adding compost to their rose plant.
PC: Designed by the Author using Canva

Hey there, poetry lovers! In my last post, we dove into the world of concrete poetry—a fascinating form of visual poetry where the words on the page shape themselves into a picture that embodies the poem’s theme. Today, I’m excited to share an example of this with you: my poem titled “Sustainable Love.” This piece is about comparing love’s nurturing process to composting, and I’ve shaped it like a garden tool—a shovel! Let’s dig into the thought process behind this creative choice.

Sustainable Love

Love, like 
composting,

by nature
takes time
to nurture
& g r o w
in rhythm
& rhyme.
It starts in
small bits,
like scraps
of h e a r t
then layers
of c a r e
slooowly
built up.
The scraps
seemingly useless
too broken to mend
blend and transcend
with patience and warmth
into something new, rich and full of life,
a foundation for growth, amidst toil & strife.
Like compost needing air , water , & sun,
love needs care , communication , & fun.
Love's to be tended , to prevent it from rot,
to keep it dynamic and full of thought.
Dear, take time, with your love, as you do,
with composting , daily , a little more anew.
create something , that's long-lasting & true,
a love that's sustainable & always anew.


Why a Shovel? The Thought Process Behind the Shape

When I first penned “Sustainable Love,” it followed a standard stanza format. But as I played around with the structure, I found myself inspired to mould it into a shovel—a tool that perfectly symbolizes the nurturing process I wanted to convey. Now, let’s break down the themes and how the visual structure of this poem brings them to life.

Thematic Analysis: How Composting and Love Are Alike

Love Takes Time, Just Like Composting

At the heart of this poem is a comparison between love and composting. Both require patience and care to truly flourish. Just as composting starts with small scraps—tiny bits that might seem insignificant—love often begins with small acts or gestures. These “scraps of the heart” may appear useless at first, but with the right care, they become the building blocks of something much more substantial.

Growth and Renewal

In the same way that composting transforms scraps into rich, fertile soil, love grows and renews through patience and warmth. The repeated emphasis on time—phrases like “takes time,” “slooowly,” and “daily, a little more anew”—highlights the ongoing effort needed to maintain a healthy, sustainable love. Even the most broken parts of ourselves can be mended and turned into something beautiful when nurtured with care.

Care and Communication Are Essential

Just as compost needs air, water, and sunlight to break down and enrich the soil, love requires care, communication, and a bit of fun to stay vibrant. Without these key elements, love can, like neglected compost, become stagnant. It’s all about tending to love regularly, keeping it dynamic and full of thought.

Visual Structure: Why the Shovel Shape Matters

Shovel Shape: A Symbol of Effort and Transformation

The shovel shape is a conscious design choice as I believe it’s a powerful symbol of the effort and transformation that love requires. In composting, the shovel is essential for turning, mixing, and aerating the compost pile, helping it decompose into something rich and life-giving. Similarly, love requires us to dig deep, turn over our emotions, and work through challenges to create something sustaining.

Handle and Blade: The Foundation and Work of Love

The handle of the shovel, formed by the narrow, tightly aligned first few lines, represents the grip or foundation of the poem’s message. As the poem broadens into the blade of the shovel, it symbolizes where the real work of love (and composting) happens—transforming the ordinary into something extraordinary.

Wrapping It All Up: The Power of Visual Poetry

In “Sustainable Love,” the shovel shape isn’t just for show—it’s an integral part of the poem’s meaning. This shape reinforces the central metaphor of love as a process that requires the right tools, patience, and effort to grow into something truly sustainable and renewing. Just like composting, love is a journey of transformation, and this poem visually embodies that journey.

I hope this exploration of “Sustainable Love” gives you a fresh perspective on both love and the art of concrete poetry. As always, I’d love to hear your thoughts—drop a comment below and let’s chat!

Suggested Read:

LIVE SMART: 100 HACKS FOR A HEALTHIER AND HAPPIER LIFE-BOOK REVIEW

A go-to guide on DIYs and hacks for sustainable living

Book Review: Live Smart
Book Review: Live Smart

Book details

Title: LIVE SMART:100 HACKS FOR A HEALTHIER AND HAPPIER LIFE

Author: Teja Lele

Cover Illustrations: Sayan

Cover Design: Amit Malhotra

Inside Illustrations: Surojit Bhattacharjee

Genre: Non-fiction

Type: Paperback

Page Count: 245

Price: Paperback- ₹399, Kindle- ₹223

Blurb

Are you trying to fix a leaky faucet? Wondering how to treat a bee sting? Looking to purify water without a fancy purifier? Making a chemical-free lotion bar? Wondering what to do with the pile of cardboard boxes left after online retail therapy?

If yes, then Live Smart: 100 Hacks for a Healthier and Happier Life is your go-to guide! Here you will find user-friendly DIY solutions for everyday problems and interesting tips accompanied by illustrations that will help you navigate the how-to-do-its in a step-by-step manner.

Live Smart is an invaluable manual for those looking for practical ways to organize and improve their daily life—and having a little fun while they’re at it!

Book Review

As someone very fond of DIYs and minimalism, I’m always on the lookout for doable hacks which means my phone is filled with screenshots & YouTube videos on DIYs. So it was only natural for me to grab this book when it came for reviewing on the Blogchatter platform.

I assumed it to have a listing of hacks or DIYs like any other book on life hacks but I was proven wrong by this carefully structured and well-rounded book. Right from the start to the end, it kept me hooked.

 “Self-sustainability doesn’t come easy in today’s world, where almost everything we need is a click or a swipe away.”

-Teja Lele

The author knows that for any sort of change to happen it must come from within and starts the book with the right questions-the essential whys. As you read, you are sure to go down memory lane and think of your ancestors’ simplistic lifestyle and yearn for it.

Within the first few pages, the intention of the book as well as that of the reader’s journey on sustainability is set. This makes the book more purposeful and action-oriented than being a mere read.  

Coming to the hacks themselves, there are 100 of them categorised under the sections titled, Home, Food and Kitchen, Beauty, Health and Well-being and Reuse and Recycle. They cover every aspect of our lives be it fixing a leaky tap or revamping leftovers or making your mouthwash or prioritising mental health or reusing fruit peels. The list is endless.

There are also these features like ‘smart tips’ and ‘checklists’ which are like WOW! You definitely need them to make your sustainability journey an easy breeze.  

The hacks/DIYs are crisp with clear instructions and safety precautions/warnings wherever necessary. The hacks are such that they can be appealing to people of any age, no matter wherever they are in their journey of sustainability or self-sustenance. In fact, it was my 10-year-old daughter who read this book first and made her list of things to try first. (Making a bird feeder, homemade mayonnaise and natural eye shadow top her list!)

What I felt even more fascinating is the author’s conversational tone with fictional characters/movie references here and there. Her witty phrases/lines make it more relatable and interesting as well.

More importantly, the author has nowhere made any stereotypical assumptions while talking about domestic chores/tasks or hacks, which is definitely noteworthy. Even the illustrations have made their point.

The cover design and illustration by Amit Malhotra and Sayan, respectively, are attractive and non-stereotypical. The inside illustrations by Surojit Bhattacharjee complement the hacks by giving us a visual insight into how things may look or how things need to be done. It gives the reader much-needed clarity.

‘What we call the beginning is often the end. And to make an end is to make a beginning. The end is where we start from.’

-T.S. Eliot

To top it all, the end (Not the end, as the writer mentions) comes as a cherry on the cake. What a perfect ending, rather, beginning (you will know what I mean when you read this book!) to this journey. What a holistic outlook! It gave the feeling of completeness.

Wrap-up words

This book is definitely a catalyst in my journey of sustainability and it can be yours too. This book will meet you where you are and help you take the necessary steps to up your self-sustenance index and trust me, it is the need of the hour.

Finally, I just have two words-Go, BUY!

Buy here

P.S. This book also gains the credit of enlightening me that cover illustrations and cover design are two different things.

“This review is powered by Blogchatter’s Book Review Program

A Must-read Book With Actionable Points on Sustainability

Our Environment-Threats, Challenges And Sustainable Solutions

Image that reads Book on sustainable solutions for young minds: Our Environment-Threats, Challenges& Sustainable Solutions
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“Sustainability is no longer about doing less harm. It’s about doing more good.”

~Jochen Zeitz

When it comes to books on sustainability, especially for young minds, it must give a big picture and the actions needed at smaller levels. This book, Our Environment from Scholastic Publication does exactly that, which makes it a must-read.

Covering topics on environment, energy, environmental challenges and environmental responsibility, this makes for a wholesome read.

The book starts by answering the big question, what is the environment. It captures the pre-industrialisation, post-industrialisation and current situation, rightly and navigates us through different kinds of ecosystems and their functions. It talks about the biodiversity of India in specific and the threats to it.

A must read for children

The topic then moves on to different kinds of energy resources and how can we be more efficient in energy consumption and saving. The explanations start with examples that kids can relate to in their everyday life and then gradually scales up to help them understand the big picture.

There’s a wide range of topics covered, say from composting at home to the management of industrial waste, everything small and big that impacts or affects the environment is explained comprehensively. The language is lucid. It is not preachy but convincing.

Most importantly, there are small actionable points across the pages that can make a kid feel capable and take action in saving the earth in their own small, yet vital ways.

There are exercises that would make kids think about and take environmental issues seriously.

The best part of the book is that it ends by giving a brief outlook on the variety of “green careers” one can opt for and how to go about pursuing them.

To help the kids get inspired in choosing a green career, the book also goes on to tell about “planet pioneers” and their contributions.

To top it all, it ends on the topic of “Start A Campaign For Change” and there can’t be a much well-rounded, action-oriented book on sustainable solutions than this.

A highly recommended book for schools and homes as well, for everyone young & old.

To get a copy of the book, click here: Our Environment by Scholastic

Suggested Read:

“This post is part of Blogchatter’s CauseAChatter.”

‘I’m participating in the #TBRChallenge by Blogchatter’.

5 Sustainable Practices From My Grandma’s Life

Life Lessons To Be Learnt & Practised

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#CauseAChatter
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To live in hearts we leave behind is not to die.

~Thomas Campbell

It’s just about a week since my paatti (maternal grandmother) passed away. I realised that I didn’t grieve much. I did feel sad and shed a few tears when I came to know about her death but I didn’t grieve much. 

For some strange reason, I felt at peace and content whenever I thought of paatti. It’s upon introspection that I realised that she had lived her life wholly, wrapped us up with an abundance of love and left us with fond memories that she feels close even now.

It feels that patti’s passing away can never take away her presence through spirit

and the life lessons she has left us with. 

Here is a small tribute to my paatti whose life was teaching, sustainability is just one aspect of it.

My adorable paatti.

Lessons of sustainability from my paatti

1. Minimalism:

While minimalism may be a trending concept now, decades before, minimalism was a way of living. Our paatti was a living example of it. All her physical possessions were just an airbag full and she occupied very less of physical space. 

It just makes me wonder how much dependent we are on our physical possessions and tomorrow if we may die, how much of a burden it would be for the people around us to decide over keeping or disposing of them. 

Her minimalistic way of living is something I need to put into action. 

2. Basics:

My paatti was the kind of homemaker who prepared everything from scratch. Be it batter for idli & dosa, setting curd every night or making bakshanams(sweets & savouries), she did everything from scratch. Not only were they healthy and yummy, but in the long run, it was sustainable, hardly generating any waste. 

3. Sustainable choices:

While we are fighting the menace of one-time-use plastics and other non-biodegradable stuff, I’m always in awe to realise my paatti had always chosen sustainable options. Be it using kumkum in place of bindi or banana leaves in place of plates, she made sustainable practices an everyday practice and not an occasional one. 

A poem in rhyme

4. Reusing:

Believe me or not but there is still this kal chetti (stone cookware) that is exclusively used to make the prasava legiyam (herbal medicine given to mothers post-pregnancy) that my paatti had used over generations and is still intact. While we, the people of the current generation, end up in mindless buys, paatti knew how to go for minimal buys, maintain things and made it a point to prioritise reuse rather than throwing things away. 

5. Discipline:

Well, any of us can make sustainable choices or go for minimal buys but what makes my paatti stand out is her discipline. Sustainability wasn’t any practice or habit she picked up but it was her way of living.

For example, I have never seen her keep away clothes to wash for the next day. She does it the same day. In fact, I (& all my cousins too would agree!) had always been in awe of how neatly she maintains her pure cotton, peach-coloured 9-yards saree. 

She hand-washes it, and one can never find a single stain (thanks to her signature style of having a handkerchief tucked in her hip all day long)in it. The way she puts the saree to sun dry and then folds it tightly in the evening as if it has been steam-ironed with wrinkles nowhere to be found is just so being her.

Our paatti breathed simplicity, self-reliance & discipline

in such a way that sustainability became her being. 

But above all, if there is a key takeaway from her life, it would be her love & her way of living. She did all of this out of love and not even once has she advised or insisted anyone follow her way. Neither has she complained a bit; I feel that’s the main reason I’m so drawn to her. She lived simply & wholly that her living itself has become our guide.

Paatti, you have taught us all well & loved us abundantly. We aspire to follow your way of living & in all our efforts, small or big, you will be remembered fondly & forever!

~United voice of your children, grandchildren & great-grandchildren

“This post is part of Blogchatter’s CauseAChatter.”