Things My Grandmother Said

Poems inspired by the strong women in award-winning poet Amit Majmudar’s life, celebrating the influence and energy of the ones who nurtured him, loved him, and made possible his journey as person and poet

This marvelous collection opens with the practical wisdom and unforgettable wit of the poet’s grandmother, who said (among other things), “Turmeric can heal anything / but a broken heart” and “Read that to me at / my funeral, boy, right now my show is on.” From the foundation of the matriarchal, Majmudar turns to the impact of women as lovers and partners, exploring the contours of passionate, romantic, and married love; he and his wife are “two fireflies/ scooped out of the same evening” to meet in the jar where their constancy contains and sustains them.  In the end, all this love transforms into the gift of language: Majmudar writes of how the Goddess in all her forms has charmed his life, giving rise to the creativity and personhood that allows him to seek and find his mother country in poetry.

A remarkable work from a man celebrating the power of the feminine to shape us and define who we are.