Is a book in which the poems feel like succulents. Lonely and speaking of survival.

By Kashiana Singh

Poet and writer Kazim Ali was born in the United Kingdom to Muslim parents of Indian descent.  Ali lives in Oberlin, Ohio and cofounded Nightboat Books in 2003. He teaches, writes poetry, and reads. Ali’s latest poetry collection is The Voice of Sheila Chandra (Alice James Books, 2020). He is currently a Professor of Literature at the University of California, San Diego. Besides other books, he also has a memoir of his Canadian childhood, Northern Light.

Sheila Chandra is a singer who had to retire from performing due to being afflicted with burning mouth syndrome, which she has had since 2010. She was known for the richness and fluidity of

her voice. She is effectively mute, and communicates in person largely through handwritten notes and very basic sign language. Sheila’s “Speaking in Tongues” series stood as Top 10 on the Billboard World Music and stayed ahead on the label in the US for several weeks.

Sheila’s work "Ever So Lonely" by Monsoon is at the center of this collection, The Voice of Sheila Chandra. This particular album concentrates on the purity and emotional intensity of Chandra’s extraordinary voice and is a representation of what Sheila believes is her universal form of inspiration. She says in an interview

“It’s as if an outside influence has entered me, sound is channel led through my body like a flute and there’s no sensation in my throat.”

So where does Kazim Ali come in? He comes in with a brave, unique, titular work dedicated to Sheila Chandra. And much more.

Kazim Ali chants – he sings – he howls

“Dark earth come Sheila

Dame ocean dome this poem

Roam to tome tomb foam

It is an incantation; it is a chant”

Kazim’s work picks up many underlying threads and moves in and out through the work of Sheila Chandra as it gropes with the everlasting, never answered, universal questions about existence.

(The full text of the podcast is available at The Other Pages on Facebook or Tumblr, or through theotherpages.org)