Interview with Megha Rao, author of “Teething”

The process of writing is incredibly sacred. It's also something I struggle to define. I often find myself tongue-tied whenever asked how it's done.

on Mar 28, 2023

Interview with Megha Rao, author of “Teething”

Megha Rao is a confessional performance poet and a surrealist artist. Her work has been featured on platforms such as Penguin Random House India, Firstpost, The Open Road Review, New Asian Writing, The Alipore Post, Spoken Fest, Why Indian Men Rape and Thought Catalog. Megha is a postgraduate in English Literature from the University of Nottingham, UK, and is currently spending her time between Mumbai and Kerala.

Frontlist: Why did you choose the title "Teething" for your book, and how does it resonate with the main idea of the poems?

Megha: In its most literal sense, teething is the first growth of teeth in children. It's painful, but it's a monumental event. It symbolizes the beginning of a new stage in life; it represents growth or becoming. While the poems in Teething dive into many complex topics like shame, trauma, dysfunctional families, childhood, and innocence, it is ultimately a coming-of-age book. A book about stumbling into adulthood without a blueprint and yet making the most out of whatever cards you're dealt with. Transitioning into an adult truly is an awful yet magical phenomenon. Something to look forward to and be afraid of. Something to detest as well as celebrate. It feels a lot like teething, and I couldn't imagine any other title that would describe the book the way this does.

Frontlist: The way you open the curtain of your personal life through your book is quite commendable. How did you find the motivation to share your past experiences with the outside world?

Megha: You will always find me in a state of heroic vulnerability. Being authentic is very important to me. There are moments when the magnifying glass is on you, and you're almost tempted to be performative and become less you. But then you realize there's something incredibly beautiful about wearing your heart on your sleeve. A lot of people are ashamed of their emotions. I definitely used to be one of them. But poetry showed me what an honour it is to feel. I'm proud that I can experience and express my emotions so deeply! The motivation to share openly is simply this: don't shame yourself. Tell your story; it is worthy. You are worthy. I'm inclined to share the Theodore Roosevelt quote that Brene Brown keeps reminding us of: 'It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at best knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither knows victory nor defeat.'

Frontlist: Your poetic style is easily relatable to readers and evokes deep-seated emotions. What was your approach to writing "Teething"?

Megha: The process of writing is incredibly sacred. It's also something I struggle to define. I often find myself tongue-tied whenever asked how it's done. Am I walking in the street, staring at the green light when inspiration strikes? Does my muse appear like a guardian spirit when dancing alone in my lovely little apartment? How is a poem born? It feels as complicated as how anything in this world is born. There's an idea, and then it seduces you into following it, and then there are more ideas out there in that mystical wilderness, and all at once, you find yourself in a parallel universe. And when you're back, you have all these gifts. And you sit at your desk, and you put them together. And for years, you work on those raw materials, and one day, you realize you're ready. You have a manuscript on your hands, and it's beautiful.

Frontlist: What message would you like to convey to adult readers through "Teething," and how can it help them embrace their self-worth, overcome their demons, and take pride in themselves?

Megha: I don't know if I have any message to share. Most of the things I write are just notes of advice to myself. In writing, I've found a ritual of self-discovery. But if Teething sets out to say anything at all, it would be this: be in awe of life. Hate it, but be in awe of it too. It's that Rilke quote repeatedly: 'Let everything happen to you, Beauty and terror. Just keep going. No feeling is final. And Dylan Thomas's poem - Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night. Everything in Teething will remind you how utterly ridiculous and mesmerizing being alive is. How beautifully we've been made. I touch my pulse, and I'm always in disbelief that this has been given to me. Yes, the personal wars get bloody. Yes, you will find yourself in some extremely dark places. It's okay. You are still a child of light.

Frontlist: What does poetry mean to you, Megha Rao?

Megha: ‘This is a Poem that Heals Fish’ by the French poet, novelist, and dramatist Jean-Pierre Simeon, has one of the loveliest definitions of a poem: A poem is when you are in love and have the sky in your mouth.’ There is a certain kind of romanticism associated with poetry that you will never be able to shake off. At times it feels problematic to me. We poets, talk in circles, don’t we? There is always a metaphor for something that could be said in such a straightforward way. Why isn’t it just a sunset? Why is God spilling wine on the sky’s party dress? Why must we find beauty in ugliness? Is it a coping mechanism, all this poetry? I don’t know. All I know is poetry saved my life. It’s very divine for me. And I will always be in love with it in that reckless, desperate sort of way.

Frontlist: How do you find comfort in art and poetry, and how important is it to encourage emerging writers like yourself to share their stories with others?

Megha: I’m always hunting for new poets to read. I love Forugh Farrokhzad, Abbas Kiarostami, Rimbaud, Inger Christensen, Nazim Hikmet, Mahmoud Darwish, Anna Akhmatova and Yehuda Amichai. Of course, just reading poets would be self-limiting. Something I’m obsessed with right now books on female struggles for liberation. Right now, I’m in love with Angela Davis. Last year, it was Audre Lorde. I’d say Josephine Wall puts me in a trance regarding contemporary art. I love the surrealists, and I love anything gothic. As far as being encouraged is concerned…I’m grateful for the love I receive, but I don’t think I’d say encouragement is something I should be seeking. I think while a supportive audience is always vital to an artist, we, with all our privilege, often forget there are a lot of people out there who get sidelined. My friend Meghna Prakash and I always talk about it when we’re curating poetry for our PoetryDialogue. Are we making space? Are there enough platforms for the BIPOC community, LGBTQ+ people, women, Dalits, disabled people, people with mental health issues, and religious minorities? Is publishing still practising tokenism? I’m still learning to be a good ally, but there’s a very big gap in representation. It’s imperative to amplify diverse voices - especially voices from the margins. The goal is to make art a safe space for everyone.