“Handful of Fireflies” by Bina Gupta is in reality, an appealing handful of sparkling surprises etched onto pages.
 
With the seeming simplicity of a child, this charming and often Jabberwockian collection of Bina’s poetry is almost deceptive in it’s innocence and sweetness. As I read deeper into this book, I found myself reading along in an almost sing-song voice and was struck repeatedly by many of what Oprah Winfrey would call, “ah ha moments” when I realized the innate wisdom of Bina illustrated in Seuss-like terminology. 

Bina’s real gift is that she is able to spark the interest of a reader with the quiet, innocent lure of lullaby lines such as-- 

    “Mermaid
    Possibilities
    Evolving almost
    Animated stuffed
    Toys inanimate
    Stories of travels
    Tme and beyond
    All in the realm of 
    Possibilities, bud flowering
    In tandem with eyes widening
    Wonderment, small miracles
    Flowering inscrutably, all the time
    Tickling keen mind on eternal quest”
                    (from Sea Song) 

then grabbing and holding the reader captive, wrapped in
gorgeous word threads as in--

    “Flower’s beauty fading unnoticed
    Acts of kindness in cloak of secrecy
    Shining moments before oblivion 

    Falling tears dried
    Hope’s flame rekindled
    Rain kept on falling 

    She ironed the creases in her dress
    Wondering about creases in her life”
                    (from Shining Moments) 

Along with her innocent simplicity, there is a fine elegance and wisdom to Bina’s writing that I personally feel has been overlooked and underrated by the students of the intellectually abstract or deep, murky philosophical poetry and writing that seems to be the trend these days. Much like a woman who has been raised in the shadow of a strikingly good looking big sister, and whom finally, when one stops and takes a second look, is found to be the real beauty of the family, Bina's writing has been the little sister for far too long. I highly suggest stopping and taking a real long look to find where the real beauty lies ...
 
                             Alicia Winski, author of Running On Fumes