A new voice in contemporary poetry emerges, the debut collection by Sundari Maheswaran. Seamlessly shifting from the vibrant street life of Malaysia to the environment of General Practice and the NHS frontline, this collection offers a lyrical and humorous exploration of identity.
Divided by geography but united by a search for belonging, the poems weave together the sights, sounds, and distinct languages of a Malaysian childhood with the realities of modern life.
The collection immerses readers in the richness of growing up in Malaysia. Through a vivid blend of Malaysian English (Manglish), Tamil, and Malay phrases, the poems capture school adventures, a deep love of local food and family dynamics. At the heart of these reflections is the figure of the author’s grandmother—celebrated not just as a caretaker, but as a living embodiment of the goddess Parvati. The narrative pivots across oceans to the United Kingdom, where the author’s time as a medic explores the tension of frontline medicine to the power of humour in general practice.
It then settles into domestic UK life, capturing the joys of tending a garden and watching children grow.
The collection engages with themes of diaspora, conflict and shifting identities whilst simultaneously reflect on aging and the passage of time.
The author is of Malaysian Sri Lankan Tamil descent but has spent her adulthood living and working in the U.K.
Name: Sundari Maheswaran Email : vmaheswaran@aol.com
Availability: Available for interviews and readings
Title: Poems by Sundari Maheswaran Inner cover : the durian, stethoscope and other stories Publication Date: May 2026 Publisher : Stonewake Books Available at: Amazon and on-line ISBN13 978-1-912605-85-9
