Introducing Luminescence and Canadian Poet Jeevan Bhagwat

“You held me in your arms/when the night wept jewelled stars;/and the wind wailed like/a banshee.” – Jeevan Bhagwat* 

How many times during the last three years, have you wanted to run from the howling pandemic grief storm into the warm embrace of family and friends? When social distancing was enforced, many readers resorted to the comforting arms of a book. I know I did but some writing spoke to me more than others.

Canadian Poet Jeevan Bhagwat’s 2020 collection Luminescence proved to be one of those serendipitous selections that enlightened and surprised me.

Call it dazzling…the way his poetry shines! Luminescence by Jeevan Bhagwat was published in 2020 by IN Publications. Photo Credit – Tobias Bjorkli

Released at the beginning of the pandemic, the book escaped my radar until a stranger sent me a lovely note to recommend it for reviewing. I declined at the time due to other commitments, but several years later, I became curious and purchased a copy. I’m glad I did!

Call it dazzling, the way this 104-page collection of 58 poems shines. Divided into two sections: Daylight and Twilight, the book spotlights the themes of love, loss, hope, and dreams, using mainly free verse and a few rhyming forms to illuminate the relationships between humanity and the planet.

Impressed by Bhagwat’s powerful use of metaphor, I wrote a lengthy review and posted it here on Goodreads.

Because his book touched me so much, (both emotionally and intellectually), I contacted the poet (a stranger to me) for an interview. Below is our conversation compiled and edited for length over several e-mails:

First, congratulations Jeevan! I understand you recently won first and third place prizes in The Ontario Poetry Society’s 2023 Across the Universe Contest. This is not the first time you’ve placed in a literary competition. Do you feel entering contests is beneficial for writers? Why or why not?

Thank you so much. The fact that we have so many literary contests available to writers in Canada speaks to the important role art plays in our society. While I don’t believe it is necessary to enter literary contests, they do provide writers with an opportunity to showcase their work to a larger audience and get a feel for what publishers and readers are responding to. It also allows them to ‘test their mettle’ alongside their fellow artists and can motivate them to further develop their craft.

Let’s chat about your writing process. Many of your metaphors are so unique and powerful.  Where do your ideas come from?

When it comes to writing, I seek to uncover that which informs and animates us from within. I look for the spiritual within the physical and try to extract and encapsulate truths from my own lived experiences in the hope that they will resonate with others. I have to feel things from an emotional perspective first. If I feel it in the heart and it evokes an emotional response, I will then start to develop my ideas around a specific theme.

Most of my ideas come from being immersed in nature and taking the time to connect with those who are dear to me. I am also inspired by individuals who are advocating for a just transition to a more sustainable and equitable future for all of us in the face of our current climate crisis.  

How do you compose your words, in your head, with pen and paper, or using a computer? How do you edit your work and when do you know your poem is finally ready for submission?

I’m old school in that I always write out my poems using pen and paper. I also keep a notebook handy with me so that I can quickly jot down lines or ideas when they pop into my head. Once I write a poem, I’ll put it away for a few days and then revisit it with fresh eyes and a clear mind. If it feels ‘right’, I’ll leave it alone. If it doesn’t, I will edit it until it does. I’ll then put it away again and read it a few weeks later. If it evokes a strong emotional response and really gets me thinking, I know it’s ready for submission. I try to craft poems that challenge readers from an emotional and intellectual perspective.

Bhagwat has a keen interest in nature and climate change. Photo credit – Anna Nieminen

In addition to your interest in nature, I noticed that climate change, dreams, and organized religion are mentioned in your latest book Luminescence. Why should people read this book?

When I wrote Luminescence, my intention was to shine a light on the things that not only revealed our interconnectedness as a species, but also alluded to our evolving humanity. I believe that we are at a critical juncture in our evolution as sentient beings and that the current existential treat the climate crisis presents is reflected in our collective hopes, fears, and dreams. It is this common thread that binds us together as we face an uncertain future for the planet and for ourselves. Luminescence addresses this uncertainty but also offers hope through the redemptive and restorative power of love and beauty.

How does your work differ from other poets?

What makes my poetry different is that it evokes a very strong emotional response through the use of metaphor and cadence. I unabashedly go for the heart first, then the mind. When people read my poems, my hope is they will come away feeling deeply moved and upon reflection, intellectually stimulated. My poems are generally short, and I try to write in a very simple, accessible manner. This is easier said than done! But I always try my best to achieve it.

What do you hope the reader will take away from reading this collection of poems?

My hope for Luminescence is that people will come away after reading it with a renewed sense of optimism and understanding of our interconnectedness with each other and the planet’s ecosystems. I want people to understand that no matter how dark it may be, when we come together and work together as a species, there is always hope for a better tomorrow.

Luminesence was released in the middle of COVID-19 restrictions. Did you feel that hampered your ability to connect with you readers? Why or why not? What did you do to help promote your book during such crazy times?

My book was released right at the time when Covid restrictions were taking effect everywhere. So yes, that definitely impacted my ability to connect with my readers and made it extremely difficult to engage in promotional activities. My publisher is based in the U.S., so I had to rely on them to get the word out about Luminescence through their online channels. I also promoted the book via the Scarborough Poetry Club’s Facebook page and on the Toronto Public Library’s Agincourt Branch website. At that time, the Club held its monthly meetings at Agincourt Library but with the public safety restrictions taking effect, we had to get creative and decided to switch to online meetings via the Zoom platform. I promoted Luminescence by giving an online reading to the Club’s large membership and the public a few months after it was released.

Do you have any upcoming readings where people can hear you read? If yes, when and where will they be held?

The Scarborough Poetry Club will be holding a public reading event at Agincourt Library in September 2023 where we will be addressing the current climate crisis. I will be the featured reader and I encourage everyone to come out and join us! More details about the event can be found by visiting the Club’s Facebook page.

Poet Jeevan Bhagwat will be the featured reader at a September 2023 “Climate Crisis” themed event organized by The Scarborough Poetry Club. Logo designed by Valdemar Santos

 I understand you are the co-founder of the Scarborough Poetry Club! Please share a little bit about the club. How often does it meet and what types of activities is the club involved with? Can anyone join?

The Scarborough Poetry Club was created to provide a safe and welcoming space for writers at all stages of their career to meet and share their creative work. Since its inception almost eight years ago, the Club has seen a dramatic increase in its membership and now has over 75 affiliated members.

The Club does not workshop poems nor do we subscribe to any particular writing aesthetic. We allow our members the opportunity to learn, grow and develop their writing abilities by engaging in a dialectic approach to contemporary poetics. We have award winning, published poets alongside novice poets which provides for a dynamic learning environment for everyone.

Over the years, we have been fortunate to receive a few grants including one from the City of Toronto which enabled us to engage with the community and offer poetry related activities to writers and the general public.

The Club used to meet monthly at the Agincourt Library, but since the pandemic, we have opted to have our meetings via Zoom. We meet every first Friday of the month between 6 to 7 pm. Membership is free and anyone can join. Simply send us an email at scarboroughpoetry  (at)  gmail  (dot)  com and we will send you the Zoom invite link.

Every year, the Club hosts its annual Voices in Verse poetry reading event in celebration of National Poetry Month. This year, we were happy to return to Agincourt Library in April and the event was a resounding success! We will be having another poetry reading there later this year where we will be addressing the climate crisis. We love to engage the public through poetry and we have had many successful past events addressing topics like poverty in our society, war and peace, and celebrating the natural world. We invite everyone who is passionate or perhaps curious about poetry to join us!

Jeevan Bhagwat is a co-founder of the Scarborough Poetry Club. Photo credit: Jarryl Bhagwat

Now that COVID restrictions are behind us, what literary projects are you working on now?

I have just completed a new poetry manuscript that explores how Grief impacts and affects us from a multifaceted perspective. The book is dedicated to my mother, who recently passed away.

Oh, I’m sorry to hear about your mother. Grief has touched so many people in the last few years. Is there anything else you wish to share with your readers?

Never give up hope. Although we live in challenging times plagued by war, famine, and the climate crisis, I believe each of us has a moral responsibility to embrace change and work together to make the future a tomorrow we can all believe in.    

Jeevan, thank you so much for taking the time to answer my questions. I look forward to hearing more about your work especially your grief poems in the future.

Jeevan Bhagwat is a Scarborough poet who has been published widely in literary journals, anthologies and websites across Canada, the U.S. and internationally. In 2003 and 2005, he was awarded the Monica Ladell Prize for Poetry by the Scarborough Arts Council and in 2015 he was the recipient of the Scarborough Urban Hero Award for Arts and Culture. In 2011, he won the Conscience Canada Art/New Media contest (for Poetry), and he received 1st Place in Wax Poetry and Art Magazine’s 2023 Socially Engaged Poetry Contest. In 2012 his poetry book, The Weight of Dreams was published by IN Publications. He is the co-founder of the Scarborough Poetry Club and a member of The League of Canadian Poets.

Curious to learn more? Follow Jeevan Bhagwat @j_bhagwat on twitter. Additional information about Luminescence appears on the Amazon website and the Chapters/Indigo site.

Additional information about the Scarborough Poetry Club appears here on its Facebook page.

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*From the poem “Held” by Jeevan Bhagwat published in his poetry collection Luminescence (IN Publications, 2020) p. 32 Used with permission by the poet Copyright © 2020 Jeevan Bhagwat

NOTE: BLOGPOST UPDATED JULY 17, 2023 to correct Twitter address and to add a caption to the book image.