When You Whirl Round And Round With A Dead Man's Shadow You Must Be Careful Not To Fall

When you whirl round and round with a dead man's shadow you must be careful not to fall: selected stories brings together selected poems and antipoems by Perundevi, translated from Tamil by N. Kalyan Raman. Drawing on eight poetry collections published over two decades, the book challenges familiar literary conventions and expands the range of subjects and relationships that can enter a poem.

Humans, animals, birds, fish, insects, and everyday objects appear alongside one another in Perundevi's poetic world. Smartphones, drones, luggage trolleys, sex toys, wine glasses, and flowerpots become part of this shifting field of relationships, allowing the poems to approach experiences and emotions that can be difficult to express directly.

About This Book

Perundevi's poetry questions established expectations about what poetry should contain and how it should speak. Her poems and antipoems bring seemingly unrelated forms of life and objects into interaction, creating a poetic landscape in which no single category occupies the centre.

The collection reflects the richness of these relationships through wit, irony, and close observation. Everyday situations are transformed into encounters with larger questions about human experience and the world people inhabit.

N. Kalyan Raman's translation carries Perundevi's dry humour and sharp-edged irony into English. The selected works come from eight Tamil collections published over the last twenty years, presenting readers with a broad view of her distinctive poetic approach.

What You'll Discover

• Selected poems and antipoems by Tamil poet Perundevi
• A poetic approach that challenges established literary conventions
• Humans, animals, birds, fish, and insects sharing the poetic field
• Everyday objects placed alongside living beings and their experiences
• Unexpected encounters involving technology, possessions, and ordinary objects
• Dry wit and sharp-edged irony throughout the translated poems
• Works selected from eight Tamil poetry collections
• Poetry exploring familiar yet difficult-to-express situations and feelings

Perfect For

• Readers interested in contemporary Tamil poetry in translation
• Fans of experimental and unconventional poetry
• Readers exploring Indian and South Asian literature
• Those interested in translated poetry and literary experimentation
• Readers drawn to irony, wit, and unconventional perspectives

Why You'll Love This Book

When you whirl round and round with a dead man's shadow you must be careful not to fall offers an unusual encounter with contemporary Tamil poetry through Perundevi's inventive treatment of language, objects, living beings, and relationships. N. Kalyan Raman's translation brings the poems' wit and irony to English readers while preserving their challenging and distinctive perspective.