29 April 1989

By Sujata Bhatt Sujata Bhatt

‘29 April 1989’ by Sujata Bhatt is a sweet, little piece about a mother’s Nationality: Indian

sudden found pleasure in nature’s soggy musicality.

Sujata Bhatt is an Indian poet who was born in
1956.
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She received the Commonwealth Poetry Prize for

her first collection Brunizem in 1987.
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Poem Analyzed by Sudip Das Gupta

First-class B.A. Honors Degree in English Literature

Experts in Poetry
‘29 April 1989’ is written by Sujata Bhatt, a poet of Indian origin. It was originally published
Our work is created by a team of talented
in her third collection of poetry, Monkey Shadows (1991). This autobiographical piece is
poetry experts, to provide an in-depth
about the pleasure one can find in nature accidentally. It can happen at any moment, look into poetry, like no other.
irrespective of the mood or mental state of the observer. This suddenness, subtlety, and
beauty of nature make one forget about who they are or what they are supposed to do. About Poem Analysis

There is no other way apart from entirely surrendering oneself to this “rich round fullness”
that Bhatt talks about in her poem.

Explore 29 April 1989

1 Summary

2 Detailed Analysis

3 Structure and Form

Roarington
4 Literary Devices
Experience Vintage Cars Open
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 5 FAQs

6 Similar Poetry

00:53

Summary

‘29 April 1989’ by Sujata Bhatt describes how the speaker spends time with herself
after her infant daughter gets to sleep.

This poem is about one afternoon when the poet gets her infant daughter to sleep. When
she sleeps, she somehow manages to get some time to do the things she likes. On one
such afternoon, after her daughter falls asleep, she finds it hard to decide what to do. It is
drizzling outside. The trees are soggy and greyish-green. She prepares an ample quantity
of Assam tea and scrolls through her books and papers. The springtime drizzle of Bremen
makes her forget why she opened the books. She just touches her favorite ones and
immerses herself in the moist “fullness” present in the air. It feels like she has become
part of one of Beethoven’s piano compositions.

Detailed Analysis
Lines 1-6

“ She’s three-months-old now,

asleep at last for the afternoon.
I’ve got some time to myself again
but I don’t know what to do.
(…)

The title of Sujata Bhatt’s lyrical piece ‘29 April 1989’ has nothing special to offer to
readers. It is just a date in the calendar that is like any other date. After reading the poem,
readers can realize what makes the day, especially the date, so special that Bhatt uses it
as the title. Firstly, she talks about her daughter, who was three-month-old at the time of
writing the poem. This personal poem is about one drizzling afternoon in spring. The use
of present tense signifies that the poem was written right after the poet felt like penning
down her thoughts regarding the afternoon.

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In the poem, readers can find that the poet’s infant daughter has gone to sleep only for the
afternoon. It means she can wake up at any moment and would cry if she finds her
mother is not at her side. While she sleeps, she manages to get some time for herself
apart from her daily chores. Being a mother of an infant is not easy. One has to remain
invested in her care. So, the speaker finds it quite difficult to figure out what she should do
when she gets some free time.

While the speaker cannot make sense of how to make the most of her available time,
everything outside keeps going at its own pace. For instance, the trees change their attire
in the incessant spring drizzle. The poet takes special note of the springtime rain in
Bremen, Germany, where she resides.

Lines 7-11

“ I make a large pot of Assam tea

(…)

just touching my favourite books.

Not knowing what to do, the speaker somehow feels like having a cup of tea to spend the
afternoon. She prepares a large pot of Assam tea, one of the aromatic tea varieties
exported from India. Like Darjeeling tea, Assam tea is also famous for its aroma and
flavor. After making tea, she searches through her books. She does not know what she is
trying to find. Somehow, she tries to get rid of this sense of pointlessness. This is why she
continues to look through her papers.

At last, she admits that she is not looking for anything important. To be true to her
audience, she confesses that she is just touching the books she loves to read. In this way,
she tries to find a purpose to spend her afternoon. Besides, she remains alert as her
daughter can get up at any moment. She does not explicitly state it, but readers can figure
out that her mind is seeking an escape or a momentary relief. At the same time, she is
thinking about her daughter.

Lines 12-17

“ I don’t even know what I’m thinking,

(…)

particularly energetic.

In the last lines of ‘29 April 1989,’ the poetic persona taps into her real feelings. She states
how even in her momentary pointlessness, she finds a sort of solace and relief brought
about by nature. She creates contrast by describing how her mind is devoid of thoughts
and the air is pregnant with pleasing moisture. The “rich round fullness” is also a
metaphor for a ripe, round fruit ready to be plucked and eaten. This fullness in the air fills
her heart with priceless pleasure.
She resorts to Beethoven’s melodious piano compositions in order to describe the
atmosphere. The musicality of nature encapsulates her soul in a manner that she feels
like she is part of some divine composition. Furthermore, she feels like her mind is inside
Beethoven’s piano. It is part of the melody the maestro created on a day he was at his
best. Besides, the lethargic mood of the overall poem, the last line instills energy and
happiness in readers’ hearts.

Structure and Form

Bhatt’s ‘29 April 1989’ is a personal poem written from the first-person point of view, using
the free-verse form. There is no regular rhyme scheme or meter in the poem. The text
comprises 17 lines that are packed into a single stanza. Bhatt uses short lines ending with
a full stop in the beginning. At the end of the poem, the lines are held together loosely. The
poem ends with a line consisting of only two words, “particularly energetic.” Besides, there
are a number of metrical pauses or caesuras that enhance the rhythm and help readers
understand the speaker’s mood.

Literary Devices
In the poem ‘29 April 1989,’ Bhatt uses the following literary devices:

Enjambment: It occurs throughout the poem. The use of run-on lines can be found
in the very beginning: “She’s three-months-old now,/ asleep at last for the
afternoon.”
Alliteration: The alliteration of the “g” sound occurs in “greyish green” and the
repetition of the “r” sound can be found in “rich round.”
Metaphor: The phrase “a rich round fullness/ in the air” contains a metaphor. Bhatt
implicitly compares the fullness of the moist air to ripe, round fruit.
Simile: In line 15, Bhatt compares her room filled with moist air to the inside of
“Beethoven’s piano.” This “piano” is an allusion to Beethoven’s piano compositions.
Imagery: Bhatt uses visual imagery in “Outside everything is greyish green and
soggy/ With endless Bremen-Spring drizzle.” These lines also contain tactile
imagery (the moistness of the air) and auditory imagery (the sound of drizzle).
FAQs

What is the poem ‘29 April 1989’ by Sujata Bhatt about?

Sujata Bhatt’s poem ‘29 April 1989’ is about a particular afternoon of the spring season when
the poet found exquisite pleasure by remaining invested in nature’s drizzling musicality. She
describes how she felt that afternoon after her infant daughter went to sleep.

When was the poem ‘29 April 1989’ written?

The poem ‘29 April 1989’ was written, as the title conveys, in 1989 when the poet was living
in Bremen, Germany, with her infant daughter and husband. It was first published in her third
collection of poetry entitled Monkey Shadows in 1991.

What is the theme of ‘29 April 1989’?

In this poem, Bhatt introduces and explores the themes of motherhood, nature, moment, and
pleasant pointlessness. This poem is based on the contrast between the internal state of the
speaker and the external environment.
 What is the tone and mood of ‘29 April 1989’?

The tone or attitude of the speaker is subjective. This poem is about a personal experience.
The mood of the poem is calm and delightful. Somehow in the middle, the poem takes a sad
tinge, but it does not influence the overall mood.

Similar Poetry
Here is a list of incredible poems that similarly explore the themes present in Bhatt’s
short, lyrical piece ‘29 April 1989.’ You can also dive into more Sujata Bhatt poems.

‘The Night Dances’ by Sylvia Plath — This poem laments the idea of eternal
emptiness that comes after the fleeting beauty of the human experience.
‘In Your Mind’ by Carol Ann Duffy — This poem describes a detailed daydream in
which the speaker embarks on a strangely familiar trip.
‘When The Rain Started Drizzling Into His Story’ by Riyas Qurana — This piece is
about growth and moving on in life.
‘The Voice of the Rain’ by Walt Whitman — This poem’s speaker describes the
nature of rain, poetry, and how they are connected through experience.

You can also explore these memorable motherhood poems.

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