Armageddon by Ami J. Sanghvi is the poet’s third collection of published poetry. Sanghvi is a bit more than just a poet; she is a mixed martial arts fighter, a model, and a brand ambassador. On her web page, she says that she embraces the extremes: Indian and American, creator and destroyer. This seemed to be an intriguing mix.
Sanghvi opens this work with an introduction which explains the theme of the collection as well as some personal information on the poetry’s development. Early on:
Every day, I step out into the world and find
myself greeted by manipulation, greed, ignorance,
and other terribly sinister things. The result is that I
have almost entirely lost my faith in mankind, and
this great thing we like to call “humanity” [for some
reason unbeknownst to me].
This is the build-up to the poetry of the real world. Poems titled “Consumerism”, “United States of Affliction”, “Trophy Wife”, and “Burial” set the tone for the reader. The message is clear but the words seem somewhat forced. Her sonnet “Satan Devours Bones” is true to form, but the rhymes are simple and predictable. There is an abundance of talent in the writing but Sanghvi seems to be trapped by form or limiting herself with end rhymes that tend to be featureless. However, there is talent, as “Earth, Mankind, Heaven: Trifecta Synthesis” shows:
The brush sweeps through the dark, vivid dusk,
A striking sky of sea, wood, and rust;
Among clouds, where there is more wander than lust,
Men crave to touch glory before turning to dust.
Her appreciation and admiration of Milton show through in many poems, but it is where she breaks away from emulating Milton that her work begins to shine. The poem “Creed” is probably the best example of this collection. The poet cracks out of her mold and expresses herself in a unique and meaningful way. There is a great deal of potential in the poet’s work and I expect very good things will come in future collections.
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