BLUE IN THE DOOR FRAME

Deborah Treisman was only 11 years old when she sent her first story to The New Yorker magazine. The New Yorker pays the highest amount to the stories it published. The story was rejected. In 22 years Deborah became the editor of Fiction in the same magazine that rejected her story. I thought of Neyamukil when I read this. She is only 9 years old and has written a poem under the title AUTUMN. It goes like this. If I were a creature, That ate the ground, I would devour the road as chips As I ride on my cycle. Autumn is so crunchy! The imagery of devouring the road as chips is unique and playful. It reminds of the poems by Billy Collins, former poet laureate of the USA. I am confident Neyamukil will attain great heights. I wish her all the best. - A Muttulingam, Pre-eminent writer in Modern Tamil literature Children’s minds are fresh and quirky, full of energy, yet it is the rare child who feels driven to commit her words to the page. Neyamukil’s poems are heartfelt, wide-ranging, and filled with inquiry. The sun becomes female; riding a bike endows the rider with zooming pleasure. Justice and humility are obliquely elevated. Small moments of hope and joy are painted in light strokes. Here is a young writer who loves words and is unafraid to express her vision of the world. —Uma Krishnaswami, writer and author of books for young readers