The Body of My Garden

Melanie Marttila is a Sudbury-based freelance writer and writing
consultant.

The body of Rishma Dunlop’s garden is her poetry. In it, she expresses
not only her own desires and longings, but those inspired by the life
and poetry of Nur Jahan, light of the world, Empress of the Mughal
Empire. She even draws upon that most essential of all poetic sources,
the Song of Solomon, presenting her own sensual vision of the sacred
text.

In the section titled “Gardens of Paradise: Poems for Nur Jahan,”
the poet writes convincingly of the sheltered life of harem woman. Even
if that woman becomes empress, light of the world, renowned poet, and
garden designer, she is still enclosed by the walled palaces and
gardens, as well as by the duties assigned to her by her caste,
position, and sex.

In addressing the tragic death of Matthew Shepard, Dunlop places the
love of Judy Shepard, who forgave her son’s murderers, in the
continuum of lust, romantic love, sacred passion, and the love of a
mother for her child—all within “the bowl of [the garden’s] hands
/ flesh warm and tender.”

The Body of My Garden deserves a place in any poetry collection.