Writers mentioned in text Sable Jak is a staff columnist with Absolute Write. Norman Cousins (1912-1990), American essayist. He was editor of the Saturday Review. Judy Reeves, author, The Writer Book of Days. Germaine Greer (b. 29th Jan.1939), Feminist Icon. Author, "The Female Eunuch," "The Change," & "The Whole Woman." |
A journal on the writer's role in society edited by esther altshul helfgott ____________________ Abha Iyengar is an Indian woman writer. She prefers to write poetry & creative non -fiction. She writes on women, human relationships, spirituality, & design. Abha loves to travel & explore new frontiers of the world & of the mind. Her publications include: her article Population, in Science, Technology & Development (Wiley Eastern, 1991); poems in Femina: a magazine for women, 1996; 1997; Prize winning Haiku in Life Positive: a journal of holistic & spiritual issues, 1997. |
A Woman's Cry: A Need to Write by Abha Iyengar The role of a writer is not to say what we all can say, but what we are unable to say. -Anais Nin The first responsibility of the writer is to acknowledge the self and the need to write. It took me a long time to do this. Within me there was always a desire to express myself through words and be recognized for it, but I ignored this feeling. I had filed it away in my subconscious while I pursued more socially acceptable degrees like Economics and Business Management. But truth will out, and I have finally acknowledged myself as a writer. A writer writes the sum total of her experiences, readings, interactions, feelings, ideas, and thoughts. She writes because she feels a need to express herself and communicate with others. I often have to go deep within myself to write. At times, I do not like what I see, and feel scared. Take for example: I am sometimes bowed down by my long hair, and my bosom. My tits and tresses torment me. Maybe if I Cut them off I could stand up straight And tell the world: Look at me I am a human being Just like you. Not Just a woman. A writer may write on mundane issues, or on those that make her blood boil. I have written on health, study tips, and also on the injustices against the poor and against women. The issues are varied. For example, in a segment of one of my poems published in Femina, a woman's magazine, I emphasize the need to recognize the plight of the poor and homeless: Torn Jeans Worn for days Lice-infested Crawly place. I didn't choose to be like this, Who Would? I feel like the proverbial fish- Out of water. Out of water, Out of food, Out of hearth, home, And brood. The basic point here is that you may not be living it, but if you feel it you can express it. Hopefully, through the writing, you make the reader feel it too. The writings may be humorous, cynical, satirical, soothing, or moving: Consider this Haiku of mine: Smooth as a Raven's wing Your hair falls, hides your face, Leaving me enveloped in darkness. Or this one: One day to live, Fragile, the flower, Yet blossoms with delight. The words evoke different thoughts and emotions. Even so, they emote what the writer considers right, truthful, and pertinent. She has to write what she believes in. That is the responsibility of the writer to her self. A writer may write for many reasons. She may write to educate others and share her knowledge on a particular subject. She may write to inform people about the wrongs in society, and to bring about social change; perhaps to enlighten others, and help them find peace and spiritual well-being. The writings could explore human relationships, or the state of the human mind, or the quality of life. Anything and everything could be the inspiring force. Writing often acts as a catharsis for the writer. Spontaneous and heartfelt, it is expressed as an emotional release: a need to write. Here is an example: A WOMAN'S CRY And then one day, we tried to change things, Make them better for ourselves Now we are single and alone We've paid a heavy price for our freedom. Slavery is hard to bear, so is freedom, One finds you in chains, The other delivers you to the world. One makes you bear the onslaught of one on one, The other makes you pit yourself against many That's why so many surrender Even after the battle is won. Don't give up, fight hard, It may destroy you, But you are making the world a saner place For the daughters that follow. On the other hand, the writing may be well-researched and compiled through long drawn out and painstaking effort. According to Sable Jak, we cannot assume that "writers ARE their work." This is without doubt. A writer is not all that she writes. She may write on new and unfamiliar topics, but ones that are well-researched. Whatever she writes and does; what must be remembered is that facts cannot be skimmed over or brushed aside. When I was writing the article on "Population" for the book, "Science, Technology and Development," I had to spend several months just reading books and articles on the subject, studying data and ideas. Then the facts had to be sorted out and compiled to be presented in a coherent way. It required time and effort; since it was a subject I had not done in-depth study on earlier. The writer could write in any form--poems, creative non-fiction, fiction, short stories, and personal essays, and on anything under the sun. She could write on current issues confronting the world-Osama bin Laden, Afghanistan, the changing world scenario--and generate feelings of hate or tolerance, love or revulsion, anger or anguish. Norman Cousins : The writer, perhaps more than any of his fellow artists, has access to the human subconscious. His words sink deep, shaping dreams, easing the pain of loneliness, nourishing great anticipations, sharpening the instinct for justice, and imparting respect for the fragility of life. These functions are essential for human evolution. Without them, civilization becomes brittle and breaks easily. (The Writer's Book of Days). The word has great power. Words can make you smile, laugh, or cry. Consider this excerpt from my article on what men want. What do men want?" I asked my 15 year old nephew, and he replied promptly, without batting an eye --"5'-8", with good North Zones and South Zones. Was he voicing every man's fantasy? Every man, old or young, rich or poor, wants to possess the "piece de resistance," epitomized by the wine drinking, cigarette smoking, cleavage showing baby doll in the movies, who hangs on to his arm, flutters her false eyelashes and calls him "darling"! This paragraph should make you react in some way: smile, a frown, raised eyebrows-something! Therein lies the power. Writing has the power to change the thinking and the course of civilization. Women such as Germaine Greer changed international thinking through their radical writing. Her writing in 1970, "The Female Eunuch" mobilized the women's movement. She told women,"Freedom is fragile and must be protected. To sacrifice it, even a temporary measure, is to betray it." Her writing empowered women to fight for their rights. With her words, a writer tells the world many things. Therefore, it becomes incumbent upon her to realize the power she wields. "The moving finger writes, and having writ, moves on." (The Rubaiyat" by Omar Khayyam, 11th century poet). Leaving its imprint not only on paper, but also on the mind of the reader. As she draws the reader into her world, opens new doors, shows a different perspective, and reveals vignettes of life, perhaps hitherto unknown or disregarded, she must do so without misusing the power vested in her. That is the writer's responsibility to society. Copyright 2001ABHA IYENGAR |
A journal on the writer's role in society edited by esther altshul helfgott ____________________ Abha Iyengar is an Indian woman writer. She prefers to write poetry & creative non -fiction. She writes on women, human relationships, spirituality, & design. Abha loves to travel & explore new frontiers of the world & of the mind. Her publications include: her article Population, in Science, Technology & Development (Wiley Eastern, 1991); poems in Femina: a magazine for women, 1996; 1997; Prize winning Haiku in Life Positive: a journal of holistic & spiritual issues, 1997. |
Writers mentioned in text Sable Jak is a staff columnist with Absolute Write. Norman Cousins (1912-1990), American essayist. He was editor of the Saturday Review. Judy Reeves, author, The Writer Book of Days. Germaine Greer (b. 29th Jan.1939), Feminist Icon. Author, "The Female Eunuch," "The Change," & "The Whole Woman." |
