11 Must-Read Kamala Das Poems

Kamala Das, born Kamala Surayya, was an Indian poet and novelist. She went by the pen name Madhavikutty. She wrote openly about politics, equal rights for women, and sexuality. She was an important figure in the Indian feminist movement and won numerous awards, like the Asian Poetry Prize and the PEN Asian Poetry Prize. Das was a confessional poet whose work has been compared to that of Robert Lowell and Anne Sexton.

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An Introduction

‘An Introduction’ by Kamala Das passionately outlines her views on marriage, sexuality, language, modern India and more.

'An Introduction' is undoubtedly one of Das' best and most famous poems. First published in her 1965 debut collection, 'Summer in Calcutta', the poem establishes many of the characteristics that would go on to define Das' poetic career, including her use of the first person, and her treatment of seemingly taboo subjects such as mental health and sexuality.

I don't know politics but I know the names

Of those in power, and can repeat them like

Days of week, or names of months, beginning with Nehru.

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A Hot Noon in Malabar

‘A Hot Noon in Malabar’ explores a vivid contrast between cherished Malabar memories and her present urban disconnection.

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My Grandmother’s House

‘My Grandmother’s House’ mourns the lost love and warmth of her ancestral home, contrasting it with her loveless present.

There is a house now far away where once

I received love……. That woman died,

The house withdrew into silence, snakes moved

Among books, I was then too young

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My Mother at Sixty-Six

An intimate glimpse into a daughter’s heart, ‘My Mother at Sixty-Six’ by Das captures the universal fear of loss through personal reflection.

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The Convicts

‘The Convicts’ explores the emptiness of lust-based relationships, portraying lovers as trapped and disillusioned convicts.

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The Descendants

‘The Descendants’ delves into the void of loveless relationships, contrasting lust with true love, ending in despair.

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The Freaks

‘The Freaks’ probes into the void of a loveless liaison, exposing the emotional barrenness in the guise of physical intimacy.

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The Old Playhouse

‘The Old Playhouse’ by Das narrates a woman’s loss of self in a stifling marriage, symbolized by a dark, deserted playhouse.

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The Stone Age

In ‘The Stone Age’ by Kamala Das, a frustrated speaker blames her husband for ruining her life by his unappeasable lust. This poem is addressed to the husband in a satirical manner.