What a remarkable feat and a much-deserved accolade for a literary voice as fresh, soulful, and evocative as yours. Winning the TRI Literary Awards Season 3 for your debut collection, My Pen Bleeds: A Fire Keeps Burning, is no small achievement. It marks not just recognition of talent, but a celebration of heartfelt artistry, quiet strength, and poetic grace. Your pen, indeed, bleeds truth, emotion, and a powerful human connection — and this recognition is a testament to that creative fire you’ve so honestly kept alive.
Book Review: “My Pen Bleeds: A Fire Keeps Burning” by Sany Sayantanee
A Reservoir of Emotions and Insightful Musings on Life, Death, and the Infinite Journey In-Between
In a world that often prioritizes speed, consumption, and superficial pleasures, My Pen Bleeds: A Fire Keeps Burning arrives as a quiet revolution — a slow-burning flame that refuses to be extinguished. Authored by Sany Sayantanee, an Assistant Professor from Baripada, Odisha, this collection of 99 poems is more than a debut. It is a life philosophy etched in lyrical beauty.
From the very first poem, one senses a distinct voice — neither overtly embellished nor minimalistic — but balanced, grounded in truth, and gently haunting. Sayantanee writes not just to impress, but to express. Her poems are not merely words, but windows into her soul. Her collection unfolds as a deeply personal meditation on nature, love, loss, longing, hope, spiritual transcendence, and the eternally shifting human condition.
Themes and Tones: A Tapestry of Human Existence
One of the greatest strengths of this collection is its thematic breadth. Sayantanee doesn’t limit herself to a single motif. Instead, she explores a wide spectrum — Nature’s divinity, the cyclical drama of human emotions, spiritual yearning, surrealism, and existential musings — all of which weave together into a deeply introspective narrative.
Her ability to flow from one theme to another with ease is commendable. A poem on the tranquility of a dew-kissed morning might be followed by another probing the silence of the grave. Yet, there’s no thematic dissonance. Each piece feels like a new wave in the same ocean — unified by her overarching philosophical lens.
Her use of surrealism is particularly striking. Many poems feel dreamlike, as though traversing the blurred lines between sleep and consciousness, life and afterlife. In these moments, her work transcends the mere poetic and enters the realm of the mystical. Readers are invited not only to read, but to feel — to close their eyes and float with the verse into another plane.
Language and Style: An Elegant Simplicity
Sayantanee’s poetic language is not burdened by grandiloquence. Her strength lies in her ability to create depth with simplicity. She employs a conversational yet lyrical tone that makes even the most complex ideas feel accessible. Each stanza feels as though it is speaking directly to the reader’s heart, gently tugging at dormant emotions or forgotten memories.
There’s a rhythm to her writing that never feels forced. Her phrasing, often understated, allows emotion to shine. She avoids clichés and instead breathes new life into familiar ideas. Metaphors are used tastefully, images often lingering in the reader’s mind long after the poem ends.
For instance, her portrayal of Nature as a living, breathing force is nothing short of reverent. Rainbows breaking through gloomy skies, the earth’s whisper after rainfall, the comforting silence of forests — these images are more than scenic; they are healing agents in her verse.
Catharsis Through Creation
Perhaps the most poignant quality of Sayantanee’s poetry is its cathartic essence. This book doesn’t read like a detached literary exercise; it feels like a purge, a soulful spilling of emotional truths. Many of her poems feel like they were born in moments of quiet despair or blissful solitude. She writes of the soul’s cracks and how light finds a way in — echoing the Leonard Cohen-like belief that beauty lies in brokenness.
Readers going through their own emotional or spiritual journeys will find solace here. This is not just poetry to admire, but poetry to lean on. Her reflections on mortality, especially, are handled with tenderness and maturity. She never offers forced optimism or hollow reassurances. Instead, she urges us to drink the nectar of the now — to extract life to its last drop.
Personal Voice and Vision
As an educator, traveler, and nature lover, Sayantanee’s multi-faceted life informs her writing. Her academic background lends her work clarity and depth, while her affinity for nature infuses her poems with an organic spirit. She doesn’t pose as a guru or a mystic. Instead, she writes as a fellow traveler — a woman with open wounds, open eyes, and an open heart.
She views poetry not as a laborious craft, but as an “outpouring of sensitively perceived pure emotions.” This authenticity is palpable. You can almost hear the quiet joy in her tone when she speaks of a sunrise, or feel her melancholic ache when she dwells on loss. It’s this emotional honesty that gives her poems their staying power.
Here’s feedback from each of the nine reviewers after reading My Pen Bleeds: A Fire Keeps Burning by Sany Sayantanee, reflecting their individual experiences and takeaways:
1. Prashant Sahu:
“Reading this collection was like sitting beside a flickering fire on a quiet night — introspective and full of warmth. Sayantanee’s poems don’t just speak; they resonate. Her reflections on the spiritual and emotional tides of life feel incredibly grounded, as if each word has been lived before being written. A deeply immersive read.”
2. Sameer Gudhate:
“What struck me the most is the maturity in the voice of a debut author. Sayantanee’s metaphors flow like a seasoned poet’s, and yet there’s a rawness that makes the experience more intimate. Her ability to blend surrealism with everyday emotions is phenomenal. This book is not just poetry — it’s emotional alchemy.”
3. Apeksha Gupta:
“I found My Pen Bleeds to be a soulful voyage through the landscapes of the heart and the universe. There’s a purity in Sayantanee’s expression that invites you to slow down and listen — really listen — to your own thoughts and feelings. Her voice is empathetic, unassuming, and undeniably poetic.”
4. Akansha Sinha:
“As someone who finds solace in nature and words, this book felt like home. Sayantanee’s poems reflect a deep emotional intelligence. Her verses soothe you like a lullaby while also urging you to confront your inner unrest. It’s rare to find poetry that’s both tender and transformative — this is it.”
5. Glenville Ashby:
“There’s a transcendental quality in Sayantanee’s writing that reminds one of the great mystic poets. Her spiritual sensibilities and poetic intuitions merge to create a body of work that is both timeless and timely. Each poem is an echo of ancient wisdom wrapped in modern reflection.”
6. Pooja Sahu:
“I was completely captivated by how naturally the author blends the elements of pain, pleasure, hope, and healing into her poetry. The language is graceful yet piercing. It’s like she’s having a hushed but profound conversation with the universe — and we’re lucky enough to overhear it.”
7. Versha Singh:
“This collection is not just a book; it’s an experience. There’s something inherently therapeutic in the way Sayantanee expresses grief, love, and the eternal dance of life and death. Her poetry serves as a reminder that beauty can be found even in the most silent, shattered corners of our lives.”
8. Shivangi Yadav:
“What I loved most is the emotional sincerity — nothing feels staged or artificial. Each poem seems born out of deep contemplation. Sayantanee has an incredible gift for turning pain into poetry, silence into sound. It’s rare to feel so seen through someone else’s words.”
9. Kavita Kaushik:
“A powerful and emotionally honest collection that invites the reader to introspect and embrace the nuances of being human. Sayantanee captures the ephemeral and the eternal with equal ease. Her poems left me with a quiet awe — and a profound sense of connection to the natural and spiritual world.”
Final Verdict: A Must-Read Debut for All Lovers of Reflective Poetry
My Pen Bleeds: A Fire Keeps Burning is not merely a book — it is a gentle companion to the soul. It is for readers who seek more than entertainment; those who wish to engage, reflect, and feel deeply. Sany Sayantanee’s work reminds us why poetry matters — because in a chaotic world, we need spaces to breathe, to connect, to heal.
This debut is a triumph — not because it shouts, but because it sings. Not because it dazzles, but because it touches. In this era of performative literature, Sayantanee’s quiet sincerity is a breath of fresh air.
We eagerly await the subsequent volumes she has hinted at. If this is her beginning, one can only imagine the luminous path ahead.
To the readers:
Buy this book. Read it slowly. Re-read it. Gift it. Carry it in your bag, on your travels. Open it when your heart is too heavy or too full. Let it remind you of the simple truths — that life is fragile, fleeting, and beautiful — and that somewhere, in the quiet corners of the day, a fire keeps burning.
Once again, heartfelt congratulations to Sany Sayantanee for winning the TRI Literary Awards Season 3. May your pen continue to bleed brilliance, and may your fire always burn bright.
