A Poem at the Right Moment

A Poem at the Right Moment  collects, and preserves, poems—called  catus —that have circulated orally for centuries in South India. The poems are remarkable for their wit and precision, their lyrical insight on the commonplace, their fascination with sensual experience, and their exploration of the connection between language and desire. Taken together the  catus  offer a penetrating critical vision and an understanding of the classical traditions of Telugu, Tamil, and Sanskr