The Buffalo's Tail
In "Buffaloes," the young widow tells us about her dreams after the death of her husband. She symbolically compares her dreams to the tail of a buffalo swishing in the background, "to keep fat flies away."
Tongues
In the poem "Search for my tongue," Bhatt explores ideas surrounding culture and identity. In this poem, she writes about the "mother tongue," and the "foreign tongue," which symbolize the poet's first language and second language respectively. These "tongues" are shown to be in conflict with one another, and add a sense of complexity to her identity.
Indian culture
Throughout her poetry, Bhatt describes and celebrates aspects of Indian culture. She speaks about lifestyle, food, clothes, and family in her poetry, illuminating India's rich heritage and culture.
Trees
In her poem "A Different History," Bhatt celebrates Indian culture, giving details about religion and spirituality. She tells us that "Here... every tree is sacred," telling us that trees have symbolic significance.
The English language
Many of Bhatt's poems are written in English, which is a significant technique to consider. In some cases, this is a deliberate point about the fact she is writing in a "foreign tongue," and that she has somewhat "lost" her original language and voice.
