A Quest for Adventure in California - “Yosemite of My Heart”
In his seminal book ‘Brave New World’, Aldous Huxley, has one of his main characters extort — “But I don’t want comfort. I want God, I want poetry, I want real danger, I want freedom, I want goodness, I want sin.” I don’t know so much about sin, but it set me thinking, isn’t this character seeking challenge, growth and transformation? The desire for adventure is universal, the longing to seek a newer horizon is potent in every heart and every human being is on a journey of self-actualization in one form or the other.
A Narrative of Transformation through Adventure
As I hold an author’s copy of ‘Yosemite of My Heart, Poems of Adventure in California’, in my hand turning the pages, this age-old narrative of finding oneself by seeking adventures and challenges rings so true. I had set out to write a book which would be ‘a love letter to California landmarks & outdoors’, but overlaid with my personal experiences, the narrative (through collection of poems) took the form of classical dictum that ‘every journey outward is ultimately a journey inward’.
The book is a single, coherent story in the form of poems, about a protagonist faced with choices, a classic tale of fork in the road — takes the road to California, finds wild adventures, breathes in the air of tech, poetry and adventure in one potent whole, undergoes a degree of personal transformation, finds meaning in the mix of being adventurous and discovering power of written words. The book is ultimately a reflection of the internal & external world inhabited by the protagonist. The adventures are the vehicles of exploration of the deeper self and equally potent force for self-realization, by daring for action, exhibiting the courage required to risk failure. “Stories are equipment for living”, remarked Kenneth Burke and I believe you can discern an arc of a story in every form of writing including poetry.
Few lines plucked from the book:
Wild Yosemite,
Of solid granite walls,
Standing steady to the passing millennia —
Singe me with adventurous ardor!
— “Yosemite of My Heart”
Unfazed, I open my eyes, ready to meet my mountain.
My adventurous spirit
Carves a roadmap to eternity
on the snow-capped peak of Mt Shasta.
— “Mt Shasta Sunrise – A Mountaineering Quest”
Finding a Home
As an immigrant, we are forever seeking connection, rationalizing our decision on migrating to a distant land and trying to build a home, away from home, all at the same time –
“I didn’t mean to leave home
Ever. I was bound by my desire to wander”
— “On the Road”
“We’ve left our home,
Come this far out, searching.
We are forever lost,
What holds any charm in The City?”
— “A Poet Animated in San Francisco”
“Have you tasted the slow burn of your raging passion?
Have you gone far out, chasing your aspiration?”
— “Of Beats, Bohemians and Bukowski”
Choosing Poetry as the Writing Medium
I believe poetry further accentuates the story, as poetry is first and foremost about aesthetic pleasure that adds to our overall emotional experience. Poetry helps put forth dense ideas in a short amount of time with fewer but compelling words. And we, as working professionals know how time starved we are. Moreover, poetry is a sensory pleasing art form that I feel should be written, spoken and heard more often both in private and public spaces. After all, it’s the poetry that has been the fountainhead of all folklores/ storytelling across civilizations, shining light to our cultural mores and even new philosophical ideas - think Ramayana, Rumi and Thoreau, Whitman or Nietzsche across eastern & western hemispheres.
While I cannot hold a candle to any of them, this book is an attempt to shine a light on poetry as an art form and inspire love for nature & outdoors to live healthy. And what better setting than the golden state of California with its High Sierras, Yosemite and Big Sur, apart from ever pulsating tech vibe of San Francisco Bay Area, creative vibe of Hollywood and outdoorsy vibe of San Diego. The book is an attempt to capture this essential essence of California which makes it a unique place globally.
I see California through my own eyes,
And I see mountains and ocean, iconic Yosemite and Big Sur
Calling the adventurer, dreamer, and poet in each of us,
To explore, push forth through obstacles, and write our own story.
— “On California”
The Book, Yosemite of My Heart, Poems of Adventure in California by Lalit Kumar was recently launched at San Francisco Writers Conference 2024’s event to a warm reception. The book is available on multiple platforms including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Wal-Mart Online, etc and some of the local bookstores in San Francisco Bay area.
About the Author
Lalit Kumar works in the Technology industry in Silicon Valley. He writes a regular column in India Currents magazine sharing his passion for adventure and travel. He is author of two poetry books, Yosemite of My Heart, Poems of Adventure in California and “Years Spent: Exploring Poetry in Adventure, Life and Love”.
Find him on Insta @lalitk06 or www.lalitkumaronline.com
