An illustrated collection of poetic stories
wildOats
These are all of our stories, painted in rhyme and sketch.
That ashes help us grow,So, burn whatever is done,And in our truth; become one.
About the author
Barrister, No. Barista, Yes.
Kal came to Australia,Thought law school was it,Dropped out in 2 years,Closed minds. Didn’t fit.
Kal flew to Malaysia,It was a needed depart,He found, hustle, love and business,Chasing a culinary art.
Flew back in a few years,To see his brother and mum,Things happen for a reason,2021 had begun.
Displaced and replaced,Another country said, “go home”,Decided to lock in,3 AM grinds, all alone.
Found a mad man in Malvern,Learnt that no risk, means you fail,10,000 hours to mastery,He decided his tale.
115 kgs strong,Addicted and depressed,From fury to patience,67.5 kgs,A writer-fighter, and blessed.
Kal wants you to know,That ashes help us grow,So, burn whatever is done,And in our truth; become one.
Having met an amazing cast of mentors, friends, animals, well-wishing spirits, welcome demons and divine lovers, he has compiled this collection of poems into this 1st edition poetry book to share his experiences of vulnerable humanity, in a reserved stylistic medium, in the hopes that you may forget the words written one day, and remember how they made you feel, and that we may share that feeling forever without words.
The book
wild Oats
- Print length
- 280 pages
- Publication date
- 29 November 2025
- Edition
- First edition
- Format
- Kindle eBook
- Author
- Kalinga
When I discovered the place where I was born did not accept me, I found freedom in the unknown world.
At the bottom of an empty well, hanging on a rope facing two frightened and aggressive wild dogs, I found something unexpected: patience.
At the loss of a great and gentle friend, I found forgiveness for the sorrow that was passed on to me.
Have you ever woken up afraid, but rose to seize the day?
Have you ever felt pure joy for more than a few minutes?
Have you ever dared to fight when you knew you weren’t ready for it?
Have you learnt to feel the wins and the failures, and welcome them as one and the same?
Have you ever felt a deeper awareness of the self, beyond your immediate reality?
Have you ever felt eager for the future, fond of the past, and found them to weigh the same?
These poems are reflections of these questions, through the lens of an individual, Kalinga.
Since there is more that unites us than divides us, these are all of our stories, painted in rhyme and sketch to communicate a sense of inevitable common ground.
The world is changing, but it always is. Remember that your journey is yours, and you can carve it as you see fit.
Author’s note
Most of these poems came out at 3 AM, when there was no one around to perform for.
I’m not writing this because I have it figured out — I don’t. I’m writing it because burning down what wasn’t working was the only way I found to become someone I could live with.
If even one of these poems meets you somewhere you didn’t expect, that’s the whole point.
— Kalinga