Anemoia

Zeal Mithani
Mahatma Gandhi Medical College, Navi Mumbai

It’s funny how growing up feels like such a task,
Making one crave for the memories of their past,
Still pondering what was better,
Being the attention seeker or getter?

Things of the Past are hard to change,
Let it out, don’t be ashamed!
An endless chain reaction of emotions,
Bursting out at the slightest trigger.

Living life with uncertainty,
As if it were a weather forecast,
Relying on it comfortably,
Oblivious to the rays, that could brighten a rainy day.

Tempted by the very thought of my future,
Trying to remove life’s every suture,
Want a sneak peak?
Search for it in my dreams.

Neither does life have a reverse card,
Nor does it have a stop card,
Manifest the life you desire,
It will adhere to you like Angel’s attire!

Wings of Freedom

Raabia Ali Abidi
Amity International School, Saket, New Delhi

Wings of freedom is what I ask,
To live and fly and take off the mask,
People broke my wings, dragged me down,
With every word, they made me touch the ground,
I want to build a bridge to the sky,
Touch the clouds and learn to fly,
I want to go far past infinity,
Be there for the rest of eternity,
Leaving behind terror and fear,
I want to be a woman warrior and rise in the air
Wings of freedom is what I ask, to be together and engrave the past

Snow Flaked Night

Tanvi Nagar
Delhi Public School, Sector-45, Gurugram

Dear snow flaked night, answer a few questions of mine,
Why in the surreal dim sky the stars glitter and shine?
Do they want to tell us of the new morn that’s about to rise above the horizon?
The morn that’ll brighten souls and hearts enliven,
Dear snow flaked night, why are the streets covered with snow?
Do they want to emphasise upon the orange, wax-melt sun that’ll rise tomorrow?
Dear snow flaked night when the void silence prevails,
Which wintery, folklore do you want to elaborate, which legendary tale?
Dear snow flaked night, what is signified by the blue and white that stretches endlessly,
Do you want to brighten the path upon which we all tread eventually?
Dear snow flaked night is it the lamentation of the lover who was betrayed,
That makes you serene, or is it the loyal canine who howls sitting by his master’s grave?
Dear snow flaked night, why do the chilling winds blow?
Do the street lights give warmth to our soul with their orange-yellow glow?
Dear snow flaked night, why do the white flurries run across the path?
Is there a reason why the virescent carpet like trees are glassed?
Dear snow flaked night, when the lights dance, across the eastern skies,
Do you want to show the reflections of love in the frozen lakes or is it romanticised?
There’s mystery and anonymity in the subdued colours of your blue and white,
What are the secrets beheld in your dark atramentous night?
Dear snow flaked, winter night unravels some part of you to me,
Within your darkness I find solace, I see the light that’ll set my soul free. 

The Day the Mountains Cracked Open

Tanvi Nagar
Delhi Public School, Sector-45, Gurugram

The horizon wore charcoal colours when the mountains cracked open,
My bleeding heart couldn’t be repaired with bandages, I was broken,
Shattered pieces of glass pierced my soul, I was overcome with agony,
Pain overflowed from my eyes and wet the rocks below me,
It was just the crack of midnight when the mountains cracked open,  
My beating heart’s traumatic call was unheard and unspoken,
The mountains cracked open as I still wept for you,
My cry of betrayal was portrayed by nature, it seemed to weep too,
I lost myself self in your love and I found myself amidst this ruin,
You turned down my true love, your intentions were so cruel,
The sky wore the hues of dawn when I saw the lava for the first time, 
It was like the golden-medallion, its colours refreshed my eyes, 
It encircled me and my pain grew calmer as minutes passed,
The mountains had cracked open, I was breathing my last,
The lava felt hotter and hotter, as it slowly engulfed me,
The cracked mountains immersed my body, my soul was now free. 

Whom Should We Love?

Tanvi Nagar
Delhi Public School, Sector-45, Gurugram

“You aren’t perfect for each other!
How can you two be lovers?”
It hasn’t happened till now, 
That a swan has loved a cow. 

“No cow has ever loved a swan!”
They said to the cow and ranted on-
“Her feathers aren’t pristine and pink
She hasn’t a red beak for water to drink.” 

The cow said-
“She makes me whole,
She holds the key to my heart and soul, 
She may not be perfect- 
But for me, she’s just correct.”

“How can a swan adore a cow?
Ha! So, swans will love cows now?”
They mocked at them- but did it matter?
For they were absorbed in their laughter. 

The swan said-
“He may not be flawlessly white, 
He may be strange-in plain sight, 
His heart is pure and that’s all, 
For him, my dear my heart calls.”
“We won’t be told who to love,
We are not mainstream, we’ve had enough!”
We will flow, where our hearts go, 

Our love is unconventional- the world will always know, 
We matched our jigsaw pieces and created perfection, 
And finally, found perfection in our imperfections, 
In the shelter of our weirdness, we have found, 
Wonderful love that knows no bounds. 

Welcome Again, Dear Cloud?

Tanvi Nagar
Delhi Public School, Sector-45, Gurugram

Welcome again, O’ dear cloud, let your pearly drops fall,
I hear your silver drops beckon me, I hear their calls,
Welcome again, O’ dear cloud, I had been waiting for you, 
The incessant drops that fall, bring back memories that aren’t new,
Welcome again, O’ Dear cloud, nostalgia clouds over me,
I’m dragged back to those unusual paths of destiny, 
The times of happiness when it was just me and her,
Those perfect times when we stood embracing each other, 
The times when her laughter rang in my ears,
When I was absolved of all my pains and fears,
But those times are illusionary now, her soul is free,
I’m soulless now, just walking hand in hand with destiny,
Waiting where these clouds of pain shall finally lead me. 

The Illusion

Tanvi Nagar
Delhi Public School, Sector-45, Gurugram

Gazing at the ebony sky, lit by the twinkling stars,
My eyes reflected the melancholy hidden in my soul, somewhere afar,
I was confined to my small wheelchair, my heart was sunken too,
I was lamenting over my destiny, pondering over the days I rued,
Merriness and joy were all faded memories of long ago,
Of the time before that accident, which turned me into my own shadow,
My heart was once aflutter with glassy hope, now it is shattered too,
The dewdrops of hope have melted like winter bringing its gloom. 

One morning I saw a little boy, just a speck under the turquoise sky,
He ran around joyfully, glee glinting like rays of the sun from his eyes,
He halted as he touched my knee, just as I had begun to wail and wish,
“God! I would have been able to run and dance too, but you left me to perish!”
As these thoughts raced in my mind, an old lady called out to me,
“Forgive me dear, my son ran into you for he can’t see.”
I was overcome by a strange feeling, it may be compassion, for all I know,
I felt blessed as a tiny hint of cheer crept through me, instead of sorrow.

As evening came along, a melody of words drifted to my ears,
I was shaken into the present for the tune moved me to tears,
I shifted a little and tried to find the source of this unusual euphony,
“How lucky you are that God has gifted you a beautiful voice, young lady!”
My heart melted in that moment for the girl couldn’t hear me,
Yet, she was so content with bringing joy to others with her melody,
I was overcome with gratitude, now my suffering didn’t seem so great,
I felt blessed for I carried much less misery, much less weight.

Nightfall came and I chanced upon a lad- he was fit and fine,
Two legs, blue eyes, a pair of ears to hear- a life different from mine,
He gazed into the distant, I wondered what he was looking at,
“The stars” he said mournfully, “that’s where they both live, both mom and dad.”
I knew just then that he was aching inside- he too wasn’t fit and fine, 
“You are blessed to have a family” he said, “a life different from mine.”
A strange thought crept through my mind and I began to wonder,
“Am I truly blessed to have a family, eyes and ears?” I pondered.

Gazing at the twilight sky, I felt mixed emotions surge through my veins,
A silent prayer escaped from my lips, I felt both gratitude and shame.
I began to utter, “I have a pair of eyes to see this wondrous landscape”,
“I can hear the birds sing for I’m not limited or chained”,
“I can overcome any obstacle or barrier that may come my way”,
“God has indeed blessed me with a special life,” I realised today.
Count your blessings and make the life you have a paradise,
Write yourself the most extraordinary destiny from the most ordinary life. 

The Elixir

Sananshi Pidyar
Convent of Jesus and Mary, Ambala, Haryana

Sitting by the babbling brook
Is a girl with infinite inhibitions.
She is scared to make herself heard
For the violence, it may have stirred
She has been told stories of glory and gore
And how, how they forever go together.
She doesn’t say a word
Keeping her calm, she is undeterred.

Yet small whispers leave her unnerved,
Even though she has persevered,
This life is not what she deserved.
She yearns to break the clutches of society,
To strangle the voice of prejudice,
To suffocate the flame of stereotype.
But she fears the violence she may ignite.

And then as if to answer her prayers,
Materialises a messiah into thin air,
Handing her a parchment and quill,
Into the unknown, he vaporises.
There she eternalises
her thoughts into ink,
Which compel all narrow minds to think.
Now she bears no trepidation
For she has the Elixir of education.

With societal expectations, she doesn’t adjust
For now, she has the strength to undo the unjust.
To a greater purpose, she is aligned
To grant this elixir to all of womankind.
Woman for the woman they all stand together
To take their agenda forward and further.
For all of the womenfolk she declares
A life free from all despair.

The Deadly Demon– “United we stand, united we fall.”

Ashwina Yadav
Student

Life is the expression of Freedom,
Life is the expression of Wisdom,     
Freedom is the expression of Courage,
Courage is the expression of Potential,
But, can you imagine life without Freedom ?
Few months before,
People were busy in their daily chores Until the situations turned sore,

Life saw the emergence of a ‘Deadly Demon’, A Demon that dominated humanity,
Claiming lives with brutality.
The spread was difficult to control, So much so,
That the crippled Wuhan had to lock up its doors,
But the Demon knew no bounds,
And continued to spread all around,
It had become the new biological terror,
With no hope of situations getting better.

States and Republics had succumbed to the Demon,
Subduing the land of the dragon,
The jeopardy was all set to befall,
Not willing to curb for the sake of all,
And so, countries had to lock up their doors,
Go into a lockdown for times unknown.

People had to forget all relations,
To follow this untimely imposed home vacation
Schools were shut down all around the globe, giving students a gala time of their own, Unfortunately, it did not last for long,
The virtual classes had become the new teaching platform.

People acted out of their choice,
But within the ‘Lakshman Rekha’ of their abode,
The fear of the Demon had terrorized all,
With China and United States as the ‘Mound of the dead’ after all,
 Millions were losing their lives day by day,
Turning the aura woebegone from gay.

The world had come to a standstill, the economies had plummeted,
The peasants had to suffer the most,
Risking their lives in the presence of this deadly host, No one knows when this pandemic will end,
Being optimistic and careful is how we can for ourselves fend.
But what good came of it at last?
Mother Earth,
That was on the verge of devastation
Had begun revival and regeneration,

The Pandemic empathized with caged animals and birds,
Whose habitats we had plundered,
We realized the feeling of being alone, True essence of Freedom and relationships,
For centuries untold,
The ‘Deadly Demon’ has given us a hope for a world with a better norm,
A world that will ensure strength to the unborn!!

Golden Dreams

Tanvi Nagar
Delhi Public School, Gurugram, Haryana

He gazed at the ebony sky, his eyes glowing like magical stars with a desire to learn, 
He was encapsulated by aspirations, for knowledge he had an insatiable yearn,
He lived amid a jungle, in the thick Amazon– yet his dreams were wild, 
He dreamt of friends, blackboards, and all that he had read in books- the fantasy of a child, 
He closed his eyes to find himself in a school, surrounded by fun and frolic, 
He didn’t find himself amidst riches nor in a majestic palace. 
She stared into a window of her village shop that sold coloured bangles each day,
Her eyes were full of glee for she could go to her village school-she had earned enough today,
She lived in a coastal town of Pakistan– yet dreamed of a journey to the zenith and beyond,
She dreamt of the pursuit of knowledge-not princesses, palaces, or a magic wand, 
She sold utensils in the day, studied under the night light-many times under the moon, 
Her textbooks were her best friends and her solace, her one, and only boon. 
Two parents with folded hands sat in front of the headteacher- “Please,” they pleaded, 
“Let our children study in this school; we have nowhere else to go“-they repeated, 
He said- “They can’t study here anymore-this school is for the elite castes.“
Two children in India-their shoulders drooping as they walked out of the school gates, 
They dreamt of a school where they wouldn’t need to sit apart from the others, 
A school where they would be treated as equal, not inferior to their brothers. 
An empty classroom, children but no teachers-somewhere teachers but no children too,
Hollowness like in the middle of the desert-chalks, classrooms, pens-all so few,
Somewhere a girl child restricted from achieving her potential-being treated like a slave,
Another country-some mile away, black children can’t attend school for they were sold into trade, 
Another city-a specially-abled little boy in his wheel chair-hopeless and ceased by despair, 
His life, his education, his knowledge-constrained by the limits of his small wheelchair. 
196 countries, thousands of children-they all deserve to be educated and make their living,
They all have the right to strive for zenith and to hold books, from the very beginning, 
One teacher, one student, one pen, one pencil, and one book- that’s all to make a start,
The passport to the eradication of poverty, oppression, and discrimination, lies within our hearts,
If the world comes together, we all stand to educate; we will make the world a paradise,
Chart the most extraordinary destiny of each ordinary child’s life. 

Words, Oh Words!

Manasi Patil
St. Paul’s Convent High School, Mumbai, Maharashtra

Words, oh words!
What do I say?
By you, I get so carried away.
You are peace
You are war
You are love
You are pain
You are fear
And yet by you,
People conquer.
Some say
You are weak,
Yet you lead.
You are powerful
And can make eyes bleed.
You can win hearts
You can tear people apart.
You can regret
You are pink and violet.
You are serene
And yet violent.
You are everything in action.
And yet nothing without a reaction.
You are a perception, a view,
It is all on how a person uses you.
He can make you beautiful,
He can make you ugly,
He may give you smiles,
And yet deep scars too.

A Teenager scribbles

Jairah Anna Jomilal
DY Patil Medical College, Pune, Maharashtra

How can I be this way?
How is it so,
That everyone has the life that they do,
Without including me too,
A life of fun and frolic,
Leaving me here in a vomit,
Of a dissatisfied life,
Filled with dissatisfied days,
My image at the mirror, 
That does haunt me so,
Whereas the pictures of others, 
Do taunt me so.
All smiles, all glaze, 
Full of glitter in a maze,
Happy dreams 
All fulfilled and made
Leaving me behind, 
In utter disdain.
How is it so,
That I alone, 
Have no fate
To look stunning 
And always embraced 
With good fortune, good friends. 
And a lover to embrace.
Why am I alone?
Have I no right in me?
Can’t anyone see 
The magic in me?
Is it true then,
That I am no ten
Neither the look nor the brain 
Or the talent that so many retain
From a childhood full of happy days
Not a childhood filled with my empty self
No friends, no fun or too much sun
What am I to do? 
With the imagination in me 
When there’s nobody 
With the patience to see
The empires I built 
And the battles won 
With my unsettling soul 
And bewildering mind
But honestly, they can’t be blamed. 
Since all everyone has 
Is laid bare for everyone else to see
Whereas what I have 
Hasn’t yet been revealed 
Like an embarrassment 
Even to me 
They say to love thyself. 
But how can that be 
When disappointment and grief 
Is all that’s left to see
Of a broken spirit 
A plain canvas 
An everyday Jane 
With no talents or taste 
Or even a pretty face 
With nothing sweet
Except for the writer in me 
How can I win 
People’s heart 
When it’s so hard for me 
To win my own 
How dare they challenge me 
To find the good within me. 
When all I can see 
Is the shattered glass that is me?
Broken yet whole  
Oh, make no mistake 
I am very well aware.
Of the lows that come in their lives 
And just how low some succumb 
Yet they dare to think again.  
Happy days will be here again. 
Not so in my case 
Where the wilderness seems to stretch till it ends 
With the death of a life 
Insignificant at best
All my hope
Seems to be a mirage  
That promises me to dust. 
And more thirst 
For the life that others
Seem to revel in 
Is so elusive to me
I wish I was made with a glitter wrapping.
Topped with a ribbon sash
Pleasant and agreeable for all to see
A gift to humanity 
A blessing at least 
Wish I was made 
With a personality, all could engage in 
Not the rubber and mud 
Destiny left me in  
Wish I had some company 
That everyone accumulates so quickly.
Nights of laughter
Nights that never die  
And daylights spent 
In the hum of love
But no one would look at me. 
For there isn’t much to see 
How can they 
When I can’t see myself 
Oh, what despair 
What endless drain 
Of whatever is my life’s 
Purpose and mission 
It’s all a prison 
My spirit a vision 
Of all that could have been 
But all that couldn’t be
And would never be.  

Survivor

Jairah Anna Jomilal 
DY Patil Medical College, Pune, Maharashtra

Abuse
Power
Prized Power 
Was certainly the intention
To control to fill
Every inch 
Every fibre
Of my faultless body 
With her sooty hands 
Oh, shame what shame 
Flowed from every wave 
From the sadness, I touched
When my body was crushed 
To control my mind
Was to control my body
Power
Piety lover
Was what she wanted
And what she nets
Not lust 
It was never lust
Only the supreme satisfaction 
Of being able to dominate
Someone’s mind 
And bend their body at will.
What an abomination
How you lied 
What a cheat 
What were your deeds?
Compared with the horror  
Of what you’ve done to me 
Broken hearts can be mended. 
But broken bodies
Never heal 
For wounds turn to scars, 
Scars to days and nights 
Of weeping and dying 
From a lost innocence 
A loss of sensation 
For all the things a human must feel.
How can you repay 
When what you took from me 
Was so precious and sweet 
What will you do? 
About the endless stream of sorrow
Because of what you’ve done
When every touch 
Reminds me of the one forbidden one 
What guilt was built 
On the one astounding fact
That I stood silently by.
While you ravaged my mind 
And devoured my soul
Till there was nothing left 
Except for an empty mind. 
A humble slave
With no malice or ill intent
Except to your foes
You taught her
That she was good for nothing 
That her life was worthless
That you were here meaning
And the reason for existence. 
That without you she would shrivel 
Never heard such drivel.
Wash me bathe me 
Till I’m white as milk 
Till all the sin is burnt in hell
Clothe me in righteousness 
And a purple crown
I truly went through. 
A refining fire
A test of resilience
Which I passed with flying colours
To realise my self-worth. 
My honour not down lower 
But up where my mind is 
See, I am a woman 
And history perceives 
Woman to be scarcely clean 
For our hands were always bloodied 
With those who stood in our way 
I am a survivor
Like the centuries of women before me 
In spite of what happened to me
I believe in me,
There’s nobody really 
That you need 
For all you need is either within 
Or up above 
No trial so great
That you cannot ride it away
Simply by believing in yourself 
And planting your feet. 
Where you want to grow
Tear the guilt away
Till you are naked and run away
To a land of fine sand and starry skies
Where streams of water 
Gush to give your life 
A rebirth, a new revival 
You are now a new-born 
Start life anew 
Where you are by yourself
And more than enough 
To face the tempest when it comes. 
And crush the devil under your thumb.
Live in joy and glee
Harmony and peace
Till it’s done 
And you look at the sun

Teddies and Tragedies

Yazhini Sathiamoorthy
Stanes School, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu

The teddy bear stares with its glass eyes;
Clawless paws are reaching out for a hug.
The real bear cub crouches in and sighs,
For his mother was made into a rug.
The teddy bear is showered with loving cuddles,
By children who adore soft things.
For the real bear, every day is full of struggles:
He doesn’t know what life without mum brings.
The teddy bear’s skin is made of polyester,
So that it can be machine-washed with detergent.
The real bear’s fur is patchy and festered,
With scars and burns apart from dirt.
The teddy bear sits in a prime position;
Surrounded by toy tigers, elephants and frogs.
The real bear is threatened with habitat destruction,
And attacked by bloodthirsty feral dogs.
The teddy bear’s eyes glance over the money,
That keeps coming in from killing beasts.
The real bear stares hard at honey,
And wishes to be born as buzzing bees.
The teddy bear is taken from room to room,
By the little children who dote on him.
The real bear is chased by burly men who,
Want to get the cub’s bile out of him.
The teddy bear remains a lifeless spectator;
Unnecessary and unbeknown to the fact,
That the real bear is now only a spectre,
Whose head was mounted on the wall after he was axed.

Midnight Twelve: A short tale of Farmer’s suicide

Aastha Behl
Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, Punjab

It was around midnight twelve
soaked in worldly sufferings,
I decided to hang myself.
Seeing the plight, my family could not believe their eyes,
”How could I do this to them?
How could I leave them all alone?”
All wild was running in their mind.
Later, moneylenders came to clear off their agreement,
sobbing in pain, my wife had nothing to pay off my lend.
Begging beside the deceased me
she cried out for help,
”How will I come out of this vicious cycle?
How will I make both ends meet?”
Society laughed,
”You are trapped in a whirl
Who will marry this poor girl?
and lean her a hand
with you nothing for extravagance?”
My daughter cursed me,
”Father, you were my strength and my power
You not only killed yourself
but strangled us as well
You are A MURDERER, A COWARD,” she yelled!
The horrific sight woke me
The revelation transformed me
I wiped my sweat and took a deep breath.
I am a father, not a stabber
This life is a tussle
Problems come and go
Traumas are to and fro
To kill oneself and let my family ruin is a cowardness
instead, what is required is just faith and persistence.
My daughter is my love and priceless
I can’t afford her to live in a price tag
I will make her study
She will be my proud
Will fling our worries and never kneel down.
Suicide nowadays becomes a typical case.
Causing families to be crushed in crises to face
Always remember,
think twice before your demise
You not only have your beloveds to look at,
but the nation to serve and revere
After all, your wellness is where its future is reserved.

An Ode to those

Manasi Patil
St. Paul’s Convent High School, Mumbai, Maharashtra

An ode to those
Who needs no words?
To understand
What’s in our mind.
An ode to those 
Who knows everything?
Yet are always eager.
To learn with us.
An ode to those
Who leaves nothing? 
Left to do
For us.
An ode to those
Who leaves everything?
So that
We aren’t deprived of anything.
An ode to our parents
For whom
We are their world
Their world.

Oozing Blood-Drops of War

Ayana Kumar 
Bal Bharati Public School, Rohini, New Delhi

Amidst the horrific bellicose, 
Get murdered many who haven’t completed their vows.
A fearless dark knight dies with his wishes deep laden,
Others are ignorant of the fact that he once betroths a lovely maiden. 
Tonight, the alluring stars shine,
Unfortunately, the situation doesn’t align. 
On the path, where the blood of the innocent was shed,
The cries of a family that person hears in her deathbed.
He cries, she mourns over the things of sorrow,
But life didn’t offer them a second chance, which we call tomorrow.
During the war, the matters seem so black,
it looks as if mercy and love they truly lack.
For power, families have torn apart,
and once again, true lovers from this world depart.
A child in bed merrily sleeps,
whereas in the battle, their loved one weeps. 
In that place, black and dark things seem,
and peace is still a dream.
In one part of the world, battle defuses the laughter, 
but in the other one, a mother still tells her child,
“…and they lived happily-ever-after.”
She tells father will be back with his enchanting smile, 
But inside, she knows her promise is beguiled. 

Eternal Beauty of Life

Ayana Kumar 
Bal Bharati Public School, Rohini, New Delhi

Every moment in this life is a gift, 
At times it may not be swift.
Our experiences must teach us the difference between right and wrong, 
To accept our mistakes, we need to be mentally strong.
Hard, difficult times will come and go,
Consequential fruits of our actions will sow.
The journey is often beautiful, not the destination, 
So, enjoy the train and stop waiting for your station. 
Life is transient and most precious,
Every breath we take is a grace of nature and miraculous.
Some instances do cause stagger in our belief,
Have restraint because such turbulent times are brief.
Amid bad happenings, don’t get lost, 
Your trust and happiness it shouldn’t cost.
There is dawn after every night,
Smile, as darkness gives meaning to the light. 

Sorrow and Despair

Ayana Kumar 
Bal Bharati Public School, Rohini, New Delhi

When the world becomes dark, and lives depart,
Cries and tears make people fall apart.
If your habitat is facing severe destruction, 
The same will be the cause of a new creation.
Remember, somewhere near peace resides, 
A hope, some faith this quote provides.
A phoenix burns itself into ashes,
Therefore, a new soul emerges in flashes.
Evil will always say,
“Good is not powerful, and powerful is not good.” 
But the decision is yours to believe and pray.
Either you agree to devils or to angels you contradict,
In the end, altruism will win, I predict.
Whether sorrows deepen or grit to live win,
such dilemmas occur for loved ones or kin. 
Just believe in nature’s power of healing,
the resurrection happened even after Jesus’ brutal killing.
Anecdotes teach us to love unconditionally, give judiciously,
Respect willingly, care zealously, fight despair, and sorrow heroically.

Women Change the World

Katyayani Malhotra
Birla Vidya Niketan, Greater Kailash-2, New Delhi

She was always told to look pretty.
She was told to wear that one dress.
She was told to wear makeup 
and look like an empress.
You told her to have a white shade on her face
and style her hair.
She was told to wear heels
so that she would have that pretty flair.
She was told that she would look ugly
if she were dark and fat.
She was to look slim and fair
or else in society, she wouldn’t last.
You didn’t teach her to be rough and tough,
not teaching her to raise her voice.
Made her shy and quiet,
now to face her fears, she could not be brave enough.
We told her that she must be thin, slim, and white
to be successful in life
and find a suitable partner.
Not telling her that beauty matters on the inside.
She couldn’t take a step-in heel; makeup filled her face with scars.
Some were diseased and cheated and called ugly.
Didn’t teach them to respect themselves the way they are.
She wondered, aren’t dark girls pretty?
Is there no respect for the women who are short in height?
Are fat women ugly?
Do diseased and harassed women have no respect and support?
Girls are not educated and protected; society does not let their dreams soar. 
Society must learn that each woman is different and come in different shapes and size.
Women must be revered but must not be criticized.
Raise your son in such a way
that he respects women while growing up.
Gradually the society must change
thinking towards women.
From women’s lives, remove all bumps.
Why raise her like this?
Teach her to appreciate her natural beauty.
Get her an education and teach her how to protect herself,
for she is a precious ruby!
Respect girls
and don’t spread stereotypes.
All girls are like goddesses.
Each has specialities, and each is a unique type.

Fake friends

Katyayani Malhotra
Birla Vidya Niketan, Greater Kailash-2, New Delhi

Outside showing me love
as if he cared.
Me not knowing his reality, 
into his trap, I got laid.
His truths were all lies
but I accepted them all.
He pretended to be a good friend
but inside his heart was small.
He cheated me,
talked about me behind my back.
Left me after taking advantage of me
into a million pieces, my heart cracked.
Me thinking as I cried my tears of suffering
that how could this be?
He was such a good friend,
how could he betray me?
Not knowing what’s on his inside,
made a mistake by trusting by seeing his fake outside.
Inside all that, he had was jealousy and hate.
Fake friends use people as bait.
He broke my heart into a million pieces
and went away after breaking faith with me.
I should have known not to trust him at once
as real friends are scarce, now I see.
Fake friends all over.
True friends shed tears when we leave,
and fake friends leave when we shed tears.
Fake friends will leave a hole in your heart
so, of fake friends, we must be aware!
Some friends come in our life for a reason.
Others come only for a season.
We mustn’t befriend such fake people
as they will offend your dignity.
Instead of one fake friend 
I would rather have ten enemies.
True friends should be cherished,
they are like family.
Never let them go or upset them.
They will set your heart free!

Incredible India

Katyayani Malhotra
Birla Vidya Niketan, Greater Kailash-2, New Delhi

History, kings, chroniclers who were very wise,
a land full of diverse beliefs and languages.
We are lucky to have an exuberant culture and heritage,
from the Himalayas, the Ganges, rivers, the plateaus.
let’s not forget the Thar desert too!
It’s our country, India! 
India is a land open for one and all; the forests are like heaven; the mountains are gigantic.
Tourists who come to travel India are indeed enthusiastic,
The country with a golden past,
Our flag waves free, old glory at last.
we celebrate our freedom and many different exuberant, rich festivals
we celebrate hope and strength of good in these festivals, 
bonding of people together and celebrating love really is special
So, come visit India, why waste time?
Be ready to be surprised by cultures, traditions, food divine.
Now, by saying this, I continue my rhyme.
Each state is unique in India
from North to South
Sweets, temples
and food that waters your mouth
Starting from Jammu, which is known as India’s crown.
We cross the Ganga plains to reach the oceans down.
Wah Taj Wah!! is what they say,
Taj Mahal makes the world amazing.
Maharashtra has Ajanta and Ellora caves, don’t forget Bollywood.
Chennai will be sure to amaze you with it’s delicious and healthy food.
Bengal has sweets, and Nagaland has culture,
tea, rivers, temples all do make me wonder.
From Bihar are Bidri sculptures, Madhubani paintings, all are artistic antiques,
the fascinating architecture of temples and forts is unique.
With our country, we have a deep relation,
it’s full of bountiful nature and landmarks, which are all god’s creation.
India is my nation, and I am proud to be it’s the daughter.
Stop the violence, and start loving since it is better than slaughter.                                                                      Let’s all join together and from all dangers protect India’s borders.

I am beauty I am strength

Aastha Behl
Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, Punjab

To the one who is full of
warmth and affection,
To the one who to feed her children, is charged with starvation,
I want to put up a question that stuck my mind,
How can you be so kind that even after working all day does not earn you respect, but still you are absolutely fine???
Huh! Simply a philanthropist, I define.
To the one so decent and calm,
You live in a male-dominated society.
Where a man is considered to be mighty,
it is you who is always neglected and paid the penalty.
Where a man can walk freely at night on the streets,
there come many difficulties with which you have to meet.
To the one so strong and powerful of our nation,
Sometimes you are an athlete
Sometimes as an astronaut
Sometimes as a doctor
While sometimes as Miss Universe.
If you can compete so well with everything whatever a man can,
then why is everybody only their fan???
Why is your intelligence always being questioned??
If a boy is born, there is happiness,
and if a girl is born…there is frightfulness.!!!
Why on earth, people can be such a bias??
Seeing all this, our mother earth cries
Why don’t we understand that being pious does not matter?
But to fashion, a future without a girl child or very few of them in number
is entirely a shame
and those people, in contrast, are disrespecting god and are not less than a traitor!!
It is you O’ young citizens who have to wake up,
This dowry chain needs to be break up
Just stop glaring at what a person wears 
and start searching for talents that India shares
Be a motivational source that the world can stare
To climb high, this is what we all should care about.
Why not we start with today
To pledge that women injustice
should not stay
Help the strength of our nation
face towards sunshine
All this only can make our country
Fly in a smooth airline…

Dreams: My Escapes

Manasi Patil
St. Paul’s Convent High School, Mumbai, Maharashtra

Dreams are the trains
To places never seen
The aeroplanes 
To skies, heaven above
The boats
To seas and overseas
And the escapes
From the noisy real world.
Dreams take us sometimes.
In lands bizarre
Places that won’t exist
Or have existed.
Landing in Fairyland
In Pixieland and Wonderland
Or sometimes in Hogwarts
Baker Street or Narnia.
Wherever dreams take us
They’re all delightful.
But most importantly,
They’re all OURS.

The Truth of Rudeness

Chaandneeka Choudhury
NPS International, Guwahati, Assam

Never respond to rudeness
When people are rude to you
They reveal who they are
Not who you are
Don’t take it personally
Be silent
There is always a difference between
Expressing your opinion
And being rude
Treat everyone with politeness
Even those who are rude to you
Not because they are nice
But you are
Being real doesn’t mean 
you have to be rude
Rudeness is something
That I can’t tolerate
Show respect to people
Who doesn’t even deserve it
Not as a reflection of their character
But as a reflection of yours
If you can’t be kind
Be quiet
People who have no life
Will always try to start drama in yours
Ignore hateful attitude
And rude behaviour
They are powerless without 
your response

The Super Power of Self Love

Chaandneeka Choudhury
NPS International, Guwahati, Assam

No one is you
And that is your superpower.
Be your reason to smile.
Your most significant responsibility is to love yourself.
And to know that you are enough.
Make yourself your priority.
It’s not selfish
It’s necessary
To love who are you
You cannot hate the experiences.
That shaped you
You are worthy
You are beautiful
You are capable
Create your dream
Celebrate yourself
Rule your queendom
Believe in yourself a little more.
Self-love is the greatest.
The middle finger of all time
Self-love is not selfish.
You cannot truly love another.
Until you know how to love yourself
Be the love
You never received

Racism

Chaandneeka Choudhury
NPS International, Guwahati, Assam

To bring about change.
It would help if you were not afraid to take the first step.
We will fail when we fail to try.
There is no such thing as race.
History has shown us.
That encouragement can be contagious.
And hope can take two things of its own
Our world is a racist society.
And it’s challenging to be non-racist in this society.
But we must be anti-racist.
Start the change
And say no to racism.
Activism is my rent
For living the success
We don’t fight racism with racism.
We fight racism with solidity.
None of us alone can change the nation.
But together we can 
We can also change the racist thought that people have.
We have to wake the people first.
Then make the action.
And then the result
Stop racism
Make the world cruel that racism leads the world down.

Be Yourself an Inspiration

Chaandneeka Choudhury
NPS International, Guwahati, Assam

All our dreams come true.
If we dare to pursue them
Don’t limit yourself.
Inspire yourself
Get started before you go ahead.
Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment.
Until it becomes a memory
Let your inspirational smile change the whole world.
Make your life a masterpiece.
With motivational and inspirational thoughts
Everything you need will come to you at a perfect time.
Never quit
Try and try
Never give up 
Because great things take time
Stars can’t shine without the moon.
The same way your life can’t shine without inspiration.
You are never too old to set a goal or another dream.
It is always the simple that produces marvellous
Surround yourself with people
Who encourages and inspires you in every step of your life?

Best Childhood Memories

Shubham
Dyal Singh College, Karnal

I don’t remember those events when I was in Nursery 
Furthermore, how I would have said ‘A’, ‘B’, ‘C’. 
I can’t resist considering how my mom would have passed on in her lap. 
Holding my hands, how she made me sort out some way to commend 
Father uncovers to us that my childhood was so guiltless days. 
Additionally, how Standard he got me RED LAYS. 
My Granny unveils to me how she used to oil my hair. 
Likewise, how I was ruined with such a lot of care 
My Grandpa used to take me to an entertainment community. 
Likewise, I used to give me how the canines bark. 
Precisely when I was a little – little, I needed to move in the Storm. 
Furthermore, I can’t resist considering how I interested with the passing trains. 
In any case! I reviewed that in Class 6th 
I found that India is a more significant part administers framework. 
Also, In-Class seventh, I found that I live in a world which is stacked with hypocrisy 
Right when I was in class ninth, my life went on a shade. 
As of now, I am in Class twelfth, and I need to continue with life. 
Right when I was a kid, I felt that this Universe is so adorable. 
Generous! However, this corrupt world wound up being so undesirable. 
My childhood is something that I miss the most. 
Cause this Adulthood frequents me like a Spirit 
She expected to move away from this world overflowing with crap. 
So, She made her planet where she could fit ……..

Colours of the Cloud

Aayushi Shandilya
Banasthali Vidyapith, Jaipur, Rajasthan

Clouds have a part of me,
Instead, my heart!
Those shades of azure,
lilac and red
Makes me forget
all the worries and put a smile!
That azure colour of the sky
makes me calm and
evokes the sense of peace in me!
That lilac colour of those fluffy puffs
makes me remember my first love
and those blush cheeks
for every time I heard
the name of my beloved!
It makes me remember 
my whole cute love story
for it makes my heart skip beats
which was the first remembrance
of my first love!
And now comes the colour
of “love” red!
Love for him!
Love for family!
Love for friends!
And I still wonder how the evening passed by!
And why was I smiling
like an idiot while a tear
rolled down my cheeks! :’)

Wages

Aayushi Shandilya
Banasthali Vidyapith, Jaipur, Rajasthan

She’s given wages for her body,
For how well her curves fit in man’s hands.
For how well she manages to slip on his chest.
For how well she lets his hands discover her parts that her curves have hidden.
For how well she lets him into her.
Every night. Every man.
I wish someone could’ve peeped into her heart,
To see the storms those curves have controlled.
To see the soul she’s lost in his masculinity.
To see the faded dreams she carries with the colourful smile for him to choose her for the night.
She didn’t want this life. 
Neither it was her destiny.
But she’s given wages for her body.
For how well she makes him feel soaked without being drunk. 

Crazy Corona Times-Fits of Wisdom and Myths

Aastha Behl
Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, Punjab

In this unsolved mystery of panic and fright
The days turned to night with man’s death toll on a spike
Some bad bat stories to ponder
And mountains of myths to elicit horror
Where every human is doing its bit
Some spreading love some just bundle of myths
Reflecting the good or worst of humanity
Just like a coin, the two sides of it!
This pandemic came like a vendor of wisdom.
Repenting to our past sins, some old myths debunked.
To learn, unlearn and relearn.
This is the only mantra of life is taught.
Staying in sync with nature is the only way to thrive; we forgot!
Where the WhatsApp university is in full swing to hypnotize our mind
Spreading dubious information ensuing dark time
Dipping nose in saline water is the best way.
Detox your body by drinking alcohol will keep corona at bay.
Eating fried will give thermal effect and is the best amalgamation.
Practising tantra mantra in full motion.
Along with comes hundreds of memes to make you tickle.
Do’s and don’ts in these challenging times will make your head jitter.
Do not eat egg or chick
As it may be corona rich
Having no evidence of their rocket science strange belief
Alas! the whole poultry and meat industry had to face the days of grief!
Even the printing media had to bear the same fate.
With people objecting to buying any newspapers or magazines since corona aggregate
Little did they know that the printing process in itself is sterile and pure
And that not everything we find online is right and sure
Not me or you; these are the researchers worldwide who assure!
It made my heart sink to hear a corona ‘suspected’ youth suicide case even before his reports were yet awaited.
Why don’t we understand that covid-19 does not necessarily mean death!
Instead one can be treated.
Body’s inner strength and will power will make corona hold
Some ray of positivism and increasing our immunity to manifolds.
And then comes the fake daredevils who blurts that corona cannot even touch them.
Breaking all the social distancing rules, spreading the disease, their actions are bound to be condemned.
They flaunt being people of God. 
As they belong to a particular religion that lets them do anything in the name of the lord!
How can they forget that corona pandemic is not like us who divide men among race, caste, or creed!
Instead, it is unbiased, and for it, we all belong to the same human breed!
Child, youth, or elderly- it makes no demarcation.
How to treat everybody equally, corona pandemic gives the best illustration.
The pandemic has also put some dent in the age’s old male chauvinism.
Women’s selfless work valued, thus giving rise to feminism.
Where men and women are locked in the lock-down sharing household chores together
Sooner than later, men realized that even the household chores are not a cup of tea either.
Even the famous myth that men are the mightiest creature of all-has been shattered
This covid-19 is reigning over our lives, halting it to frozen still.
For now, it matters not the worldly possessions we own but the ability to survive and not to fall ill.
Nature has once again proven the fact.
The basic common sense that we lack
That no matter what, man cannot conquer it
The superpower is not easy to deal with.
Whenever man tries to interfere with the laws of nature and exploit its fashion
There is no lie that man has to face all the repercussions.
There is still a lot more to learn and a long way to go.
To dismantle the old laws and move with the flow.
Creating a new ray of hope by facing towards the sunshine
Paying gratitude to whatever we own today in these tough times
From the beautiful skin, eyes, and four limbs.
To the lungs from where we breathe in!

Republic into Rape-public

Tanveen Kaur
K.R. Mangalam World School, Gurugram, Haryana

When he touched her body, it gave her chills.
Everything was happening against her wills.
No one can clap without two hands is what some are saying,
Blame is on both is what narrow minds are conveying.
The true meaning of consent is unknown to many,
That’s why the court is brimming with cases of felony. 
Robbing her of innocence and dignity that she possessed,
Even society forced her to remain oppressed.
From negligence of million cries for support, 
To innumerable cases not even being report.
Our nations that are a republic,
Are transitioning into Rape-public.

Life-An Ephemeral

Fanan Rasheed
Sastra University, Thanjavur, Kerala

We all started off as a raindrop emerging out of the clouds
Coming out like a tiny seedling out of mother’s womb
Into a new world unknown and yet to unfold
Taking tiny steps which go onto becoming leaps
Not knowing off to where
The destination as mysterious as the arrival
Which land do I belong to?
Am I a citizen of this world?
Where are my roots fixed?
Up to where will I travel
Is this journey endless
Countless questions and
Experience the answer to all those question marks
Met so many strangers in this course of time as temporary as the wind comes and goes
But then it’s time the end is near
I am going to touch the ground
Reaching the earth marks the end of the lifespan of a raindrop
As death and birth represents the starting and end of life
Life as transient as a drop of rain bursting out of the sky
Seasons change, when monsoon again hits
New cycle of rainfall begins, new drops, new journeys but the same age-old name – Life
Generations and generations enter and exit playing their parts

What is the point?

Mehak Hira
Sri Venkateshwara International School, Dwarka, New Delhi

We need a break! We need a break!
It looked like God had finally answered our prayers.
And here we are, 
Having a sabbatical so long that we would have never wished at the first place only
The wise say,” Pray wisely” 
But the greedy need to learn it the hard way>
Each passing day, we see
The world wrapping around layers of recessions,
People drowning in their own tears,
Companies handing out notice letters on a daily basis as if distributing toffees 
Except for the part, where the toffees taste like poison. 
It seems like the everyone is sitting on a time bomb,
Waiting to explode,
Tick! Tick! Tick! Tick! BOOM!
For some, the bomb had gone off at the very beginning, 
I Pity the others, who spend the rest of the time worrying when will the bomb ruin them.
A father lighting his son’s pyre.
Families being wretched of their sleep, jobs and lives.
The word ‘positive’ insinuating negative vibes 
Migrants scrambling half dead back to their native places. 
A shudder to pass through our body as soon as we step out.
They say that we got time to spend with our loved ones  
They say that we found our long-lost passion,
But what about those, who are left with no one to love? 
But what about those, to whom this pandemic gave nothing except pain and misery?
But still, they say, “Whatever happens, happens for our own good”
There is a global pandemic sitting on our heads,
People are trembling with fright,
And instead of being in this together,
Nations are ready to rip each other
They find it okay to fiddle with millions of people’s lives. 
Today, I can do almost anything and everything,
I can go to Mars; I can talk to someone sitting thousands of miles apart.
But what is the point?
Because today there is nothing I can say or do for the people who lost their families, jobs, almost
everything to this pandemic that could provide them even an ounce of solace. 
And that makes me question everything.