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Her first book, “A touch, a tear, a tempest,” sold many copies worldwide and reached best- seller status. Her latest book is “A Thousand Flamingos,” published by Cyberwit.net. Sanober is a fine and accomplished poet whose work glows, and her books of poetry are a must for readers of fine contemporary poetry. In conversation with Karunesh Kumar Agrawal, Managing Editor, Cyberwit.net, Sanober Khan tells us about her success as an international poet.
Karunesh Kumar Agrawal: Tell us about you and your background.
Sanober Khan: So I did my graduation in Commerce, and quickly decided it was not my cup of tea. I’ve always deviated from one thing to another, so in my day to day life I’ve been working as a yoga instructor, given my avid interest in all things related to fitness. I grew up in a family that always encouraged me to try new things, so I took up many courses, from Travel & tourism to Creative Writing, to learning French. I’ve never taken any specific training in Poetry writing though. I guess it just comes very naturally to me. I was never a fan of English Literature either. But I am now!
Karunesh Kumar Agrawal: What inspires you to write poetry?
Sanober Khan: Beauty, sadness, and all things unusual. Sometimes it could be a beautiful line from a novel I’m reading, a song, or other people’s poetry. I’m a keen observer and very intuitive, I spend a lot of time alone absorbed in my own thoughts. It’s a trademark of every poet to see beauty in the most ordinary things. And for me, I find everything extraordinary. It is a must for me to use nature as a backdrop. Poetry is deeply emotional work, bordering on the divine…not some rant. It is the result of many factors, snippets stolen from here and there. I can never write if I’m just half-inspired. I need to be 100% into it, or not at all.
Karunesh Kumar Agrawal: When did you start writing poetry?
Sanober Khan: I don’t remember precisely, but I think it was at the age of 16 or 17. I started with only one poem, it felt amazing to express myself but quickly ran out of ideas, so did not write for a long time. Instead, I invested all my time in reading. Novels, novellas, classic poetry, lots of it. I realized it was important to have excellent vocabulary skills to be able to write, just having ideas didn’t quite cut it.
Karunesh Kumar Agrawal: What is the measure of success as a poet?
Sanober Khan: If I can capture how I’m feeling exactly the way I imagined capturing it…it is a feeling of great accomplishment for me. There are days when the right words just won’t come, and some days you hit bulls-eye. If I am fully satisfied with what I’ve written, I treat it as my success. Of course, getting appreciation from readers is also a validation.
Karunesh Kumar Agrawal: What are common traps for aspiring writers?
Sanober Khan: Definitely, relying too much on the latest trends. These days, ‘the micro poetry’ style of writing is all the rage, especially on Tumblr & Instagram, and almost every other poet has jumped on this bandwagon. Poetry has so much more to offer!
Karunesh Kumar Agrawal: Why is poetry important?
Sanober Khan: Poems are important moments that would otherwise be lost in time. It is important as a need for personal expression, and also as a way of honouring what brings joy and sorrow. Without it, so much beauty of the world would go unnoticed.
Karunesh Kumar Agrawal: Do you think poetry has a purpose?
Sanober Khan: Absolutely. With poetry, you open a window of your own personal world. It is your own unique view of things, which you let others see, something that can never be duplicated or replicated. . I bet every poetry lover thinks of William Wordsworth “I wandered lonely as a cloud” when they see a cloud, or when they see two roads diverging, Robert Frost’s “The road not taken” springs to mind. Poetry expands the mind, and once it touches you, you are marked forever.
Karunesh Kumar Agrawal: Have you done anything to promote the book since publication?
Sanober Khan: Yes, I’ve been sharing a lot of quotes from my books on my facebook pages. More on Goodreads, which is a terrific platform for newbies!
Karunesh Kumar Agrawal: When did you realize you we’re a poet?
Sanober Khan: I guess when I could twist and turn words to my liking, when I could effortlessly make words dance to my tunes, when there was so much I wanted to say but could not say, I realized I was a poet.
Karunesh Kumar Agrawal: What is your motivation for writing more?
Sanober Khan: The endless love I get from my fans! There was a time when I only wrote for myself, but now I want to write for the people who made my books a success.
Karunesh Kumar Agrawal: Your experience of writing the poem ” The way you kill me”. Please express your feelings.
Sanober Khan: Ohhh! I’ve never given any thought to that poem in years! But I remember, it was written in an intense moment. There are poems you wish you hadn’t written, this is one of those poems.
Karunesh Kumar Agrawal: Thank you very much Sanober.
Sanober Khan: It was a pleasure talking to you Karunesh. Thank you for all the support and the honour of this interview!
