Interview With Vaishali Sarmah, Author of I Give My World to You

Interview with Vaishali Sarmah about I Give My World to You, exploring poetry, vulnerability, love, longing, and the courage to share emotions.
on Aug 05, 2026

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Frontlist: The title I Give My World to You feels like both an invitation and a vulnerability. What made you choose it?

Vaishali: To me, this book is a part of my heart. Every poem carries a feeling, a memory or a moment that shaped me. Choosing the title I Give My World to You felt natural because that's exactly what I am doing. I am sharing my world with my readers and trusting them with the emotions I have carried for years.

Frontlist: In your preface, you write that some poems were written in light and some in silence, but all were written honestly. How did you know when a poem was "honest" enough to include?

Vaishali: For me, an honest poem is one that comes from a real emotion or experience. I never wrote with the intention of impressing anyone. I wrote because I genuinely felt something. While selecting the poems for this book, I asked myself one question: Does this still feel true to me? If the answer was yes, I included it. I wanted every poem to reflect my thoughts and emotions as they were, without trying to make them sound more beautiful or perfect than they were.

Frontlist: You describe this book as "an offering." What do you hope readers feel when they receive it?

Vaishali: I hope they feel understood. Even if someone connects with just one poem, I will feel that this book has done its job. I want readers to know they are not alone in what they feel and that their emotions matter.

Frontlist: Family, quiet resilience, longing and self-discovery are recurring threads. Which of these was the hardest to write about?

Vaishali: Longing was probably the hardest. It is difficult to put into words the feeling of missing someone or something that changed you. Those poems took the longest because I had to relive those emotions while writing them.

Frontlist: You mention "the kind of love that changes you without asking permission." Can you speak more to what that line means to you?

Vaishali: I think some people come into our lives and leave a permanent mark on us. They change the way we see love, ourselves, and even life. It happens naturally, without us expecting it. Whether they stay or leave, we are never quite the same again.

Frontlist: Many of your readers may have "felt deeply and kept it to themselves." Was there a time in your own life when you did the same - before you found poetry as an outlet?

Vaishali: Yes, absolutely. I have always felt emotions very deeply, but I wasn't always comfortable expressing them. Writing became the place where I could be completely honest. It helped me understand my own feelings and gave me a voice when I couldn't say things out loud.

Frontlist: Looking back now that the book exists in the world, has your relationship with these poems changed?

Vaishali: Yes, it has. When I wrote them, they belonged only to me. Now they belong to the readers as well. It is beautiful to see people finding their own meaning in my words. It reminds me that once a poem is shared, it becomes part of someone else's story too.

Frontlist: What's next for you - do you see this as the beginning of a larger body of work?

Vaishali: Definitely. This book is just the beginning. It took me years to gather the courage to publish, but now I feel inspired to keep writing. I hope to explore more stories, more emotions and continue growing as a writer. I want every new book to reflect a different part of my journey.