The Gentle Predator - Page 2

Originally posted by: bee5

Wafah,

Not an issue of the repeated word - gentle, because You are right! He was gentle!!

Are you saying he wasn't supposed to be, but was being and is that the reason why you feel odd repeating the word? If that is the case, then, I see a difference in the way you observed and I did.

What I think is -

* he was gentle, not bcos he is naturally is that way.(may be he is genuinely gentle, but that was not relevant/(not required) for that scene).

* he was gentle, not bcos it was coming to him sub-consciously(it might have).

* he was gentle bcos he wanted to come across as the most nicest and gentle-est soul who wanted to undergo the SR.

He wanted to show off to R that he, in his full senses, wanted to undergo the SR, at the same time internally he did not wanted to. And that is the reason why he was being gentle. He did not wanted her to suspect his real intentions. So, he was trying his best to be gentle. So, in short, he was putting up an act of even being gentle.

And I agree about Neelu. It wasn't pre-planned by her. It just came out to her at that instant .. probably even a second before she would not have had that thing in mind. She just blurted out. It was in her sub-conscious mind. In the morning she does think about who Neelu could be. But in the night at that moment, all she thought about was how she could get out from the SR and Neelu just came out of her mouth.

The poem - beautifully woven words, Wafah !!! I know G wasn't serious abt anything and didn't wanted to do any of it, but for R those words of your poem perfectly fit with her feelings. Because she felt trapped, but she could also see that he was being gentle.

For e.g: one day she says, "I know, you are not bad at heart". I think, though he was putting up an act for that moment(s), his gentleness in dealing with her in those moments, would add weight to her thinking of what she had said that day. Though he snaps out later and says the truth that he doesn't want to do anything, he unknowingly did good for himself in Runjhun's books, IMO.

But what looked a bit mis-fit for me was a person who was laughing a while-back thinking that the flowers remind him of Neelu's room, snaps out at an instant listening to that same person's name. Only difference, it was not him saying the name, but his enemy. Anyway, for that we need to know who this Neelu is.

One another thing unsaid was, what would be a person's feeling after she hears, "Forget the SR, I can't even bear to have you in my room." A person who had surrendered herself to destiny, a person who prayed hard to get herself away from this situation, when such a person is granted the wish, would she be happy? or would it be <something else> to realize the wish was granted due to a bitterness? What would that <something else> be? I know it is very complex, but it would be nice if CVs explained that. And since it is too complex, I would be okay if they don't go there also... That would be too difficult to explain probably.

Originally posted by: rani2007

Bee, I agree he was being gentle to make her think he was being serious about the suhaagraat. I'm not sure Runjhun sees the gentleness though because she can't stand Guddu... and the one time Guddu didn't have a creepy look on his face (when he was actually admiring her beauty) her eyes were closed.

@blue: I kind of am not sure abt that. Because I feel that when a person is trying to entrap you with all his made-up gentleness* and suddenly he blurts out the real truth that he doesn't want SR at all .... I am thinking that that should make her think something .. I know right now she is consumed by this 'Neelu' thought, but I am telling for her seeing his gentleness later-on .. not as the foremost priority, but somewhere in the back-burner of her thoughts. That a man who had the right as a husband did not use it even for the sake of "using" it up.... No one would have objected to his act if he went through, there was no one else in the room, if he wanted to he could. Whether or not he calls her his enemy, She was a beautiful girl and he could use his rights, but he doesn't and that definitely should make her think .... (okay, that is what I am thinking .. and no, we don't have to agree 😃)

*I chose the word made-up gentleness and that is known to her bcos once he blurts out the truth, then she will know all that was an act he was putting up and he wasn't seriously doing any of it.

On to Neelu or Neelu-peelu as you mentioned 😆, Monadilp was commenting that maybe Neelu could be someone who helps change Runjhun's viewpoint of Guddu. What if Neelu is a bar dancer? However, what if Guddu is not involved with her in a bad way but helps her out and is just kind to her. He could be shocked to hear Neelu's name from Runjhun because he hates for anyone to think he is good and people finding out about Neelu could mean that people will know he's not a total gunda (what kind of gunda helps out a woman in trouble?). The only reason I'm leaning this way is that Runjhun's view of Guddu HAS to change and it's going to take something HUGE for that to happen. She's still disgusted by him and really does not see him as a good person even though she is trying to change him. Maybe she only thinks he can do good for his mother. Also, today's episode and Guddu's thinking seemed to still show that Guddu gives importance to the meaning of the SR.

I thought it was really interesting that Runjhun wasn't simply relieved that Guddu stopped his actions... and was wondering who this Neelu was. She's wondering what importance Neelu is to him. Maybe our heroine has started to fall for our hero and does not realize it. You would think that she would have thanked God that her prayer was answered and that the SR did not happen but her first thoughts were of why bringing up Neelu stopped Guddu.

Did you read an interesting point @newfoundlove made in her post 'Suhaagraat and Neelu'?

I personally think that in this story the jealousy angle wasn't required. May be it will not be a jealously angle and like you say some person who thinks highly of G .. That sounds like the characters Rani Mukherji played in 'Sawariya'... a khotewali but doesn't do anything wrong(?) with the character played by Ranbir. Yeah I know I am too off with that parallel bcos G is no Ranbir's character in that movie. Whatever, I just want to wait and watch .. and still wish this 3rd person wasn't required.

The gentle predator

His scent lures my senses

But it draws me gently.

Scent is truly an instant sense, in that unlike the other senses that sometimes take time to appreciate what may be affecting them, we are changed instantly. We smell and immediately or even one might say, at the same time, comes our reaction. We smell something and we know whether we like it, hate it and hence our reaction to it, whether we follow and find it, or turn away from it. Here this scent is like an intoxicant that doesn't intoxicate for she fully appreciates all her senses, but she has indeed lost all her inhibitions that would hesitate and resist. However it is not overpowering or bewildering, but inviting so she flows upon that breeze that brought his musk to her. ⭐️

The gentle predator

His arms clasp my hands

But it holds me lightly

The second line reminds me of your genius. The words seem so usual but upon further ponderance we realize that it is a surreal image. His arms clasping her hands so that it is not the intimacy of his hands upon hers BUT a closeness of being near to him nonetheless. It also conjures an image of respective sizes, his arms which are bigger than her hands, as the normal predator to his prey ratio. Clasping connotates an image of her hands forced together, into that position so that they could be bound, as a predator may do. However there is mercy to be found in his manner, that gentle manner, indicating his motivation, for as much as he wished to capture her, he seeks to capture her heart and enrapture her soul. ⭐️

The gentle predator,

His gaze rips my soul

But it tears me softly

His touch sears my skin

But it burns me tenderly

I loved the second lines of these verses! That statements are visceral, through the harshness of rips & sears and yet the softness of gaze as opposed to sight or stare, and burns as opposed to scolds or scathe or scolds, lessens its severity. The final line echoing that softness and tenderness whilst adding a descriptive fragility to her own being. She is something that tears easily, like paper or blossom AND feels the heat of a burn, despite its love too.

I loved how the second lines are about the physical effect upon her whilst the third lines refer to the spiritual effect, both resulting in an affected soul. Which you just skillfully highlight through use of my for the tangible parts of her such as her body and me for the intangible parts, her soul, her innermost core, her. For my may belong to her, for a while BUT me is constant. In the first instance you distinguish what he may see her soul against that which is only known to herself, me. Again echoing that sentiment in the next verse with her skin and me. ⭐️

The gentle predator

His voice terrifies my heart

But it scares me quietly

You follow the themes as mentioned above in the last two verses here BUT I wanted to single this verse out because of its nuances. Here the more severe terrifies her heart, but not her, the me, which although startles, and so feels a ripple of trepidation remains in awe. Like thunder does. Those shocks of enchantment that shake our souls. An intensity so fierce that it warms and warns you to pay heed to stay engaged between a desire to have your mind set ablaze and a fear that your heart will be burned inside out.

The gentle predator

This person, my enemy

But he entangles me faithfully

Finally the last verse, where you always manage to add an insightful layer, as you do here. People may become entangled in our histories, and given labels but then there are those hearts that we entwine to ours. Here the use of the word faithfully adds that detail of diligence, of thought as well as trust, so that she is more entwined to him than entangled in his charms.

I loved the symmetry of each verse, the darkness of danger followed by the light of relief from understanding. For we only fear that which we do not understand. I loved the manner each line begins with that title, as well as the uniformity of the form of each verse, so that it becomes like the rhythm of her heartbeat which as each verse elucidates then pulsates through her body, senses, hands, soul, skin and so forth so that no part of her remains untouched by him. There is no where to hide, she is already his.

Wafah, you have become one of my favourite modern day poets AND that still is less than a handful. You ARE that rare gem, a gifted poet, for talent like this is heaven scent like dew upon snowdrops. Just beyond exceptional and extraordinary, it is awe inspiring! ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Love Sabah