Posted in #poetry, #stories

Stoem#12- Behind Each Face is a Story….

Apart from the obvious positives and advantages of being a head girl, there are a few unsaid joys. And that is, even if not in talking terms, you get to know a lot of people. One of the first duties I was given as a Head Girl (which I recently became…wohoo!), was to stand each morning at the gate and check if people were dressed appropriately and tidily. However, each morning I find myself guilty of not doing this duty very well, since I’m busy seeing not the uniforms, but the faces. But this distraction is not one I regret, since it led to the writing of this Stoem.

Behind each face is a story,

and stories are what I collect,

every morning at the school gate,

there are a few faces, I select

Few who come with drowsy eyes

Monday blues have hit too deep

reluctance in each step they take

they would much rather be asleep

then come two ponies toddling about

A face with a grin from ear to ear

school bag half her size, no burden

she seems simply glad to be here.

I hear sniffles in the corner

Bursting into a doleful cry

Tiny arms tightly hugging his mother

Struggling to say good bye.

Arm in Arm come the two amigos

with endless supply of jokes and gossips

The day ahead might be tiring and hard,

they’ll stride through the highs and dips

standing out amongst the uniforms

Comes one in her birthday dress

With sweets and cupcakes for all

In turn treated like a princess

Nose deep into a book

Trying to remember all the text

Last minute research for a project

Or perhaps a forgotten test

There’s cheery greetings,

and contagious smiles

There’s Yawns, Frowns

Jaded days once in a while
 

The world around is full of mimes

So, go ahead and pick a few

You will discover, in different ways

They all reflect a bit of you…

Posted in #poetry, #stories

STOEM#11 Happiness Doesn’t Cost Anyway:)

One evening I decided I should go for a walk, since the wind outside would be a relief from the heat. So, I grabbed my Bluetooth earphones and my phone and went downstairs. And just as I was entering the walking path, my earphone hit me with a “low battery” message. I was annoyed, thinking of how its going to be so boring now. And I noticed my maids two kids, playing with a plastic bottle. They were giggling loudly. And I was suddenly glad my earphones were discharged, because that giggle had intrigued me to write a new stoem..

He may not have a house so big

Nothing special to brag about

May not know what lies ahead

His future may be full of doubt

May not always get full meals

wonders why his parents are always away

And yet he giggles every now and then,

Cause happiness doesn’t cost anyway

She may not have the prettiest of dresses

Or the glitters that other girls wear

Other girls get what they want

While she always has to share.

But if she feels pretty in her heart

She doesn’t care what they say

And so, she giggles every now and then,

Cause happiness doesn’t cost anyway.

no fans to keep the heat outside

a shaky roof above their head

a flickering candle on one side

and an equally shaky bed

yet they just shrug and go with the flow,                                                                    

have learned the art to smile through pain

 hurdles will always come and go, 

but happiness always remain the same.

Posted in #poetry, #stories

STOEM#10 THE TOSS

We were watching a cricket match one Sunday evening. The toss was going on, both the Captains eagerly waiting for the result. Watching from home sitting on my sofa, I remember cheering loudly when the team I was supporting won the toss. Looking at me my father smiled and said, “think about it… the same thing you saw and cheered was seen by someone else supporting the other team. And while you are so happy, they must be upset”. Thinking about this, I realised how it applies to so many situations in our life, whether the result is based on luck or decision. And this thought is what I have written this stoem on…

The coin flips and heart says,

“will it be heads or tails?”

Every time one of them wins

The other one fails…

Whether it’s a game of chance

Or it’s a choice you had

With a change in circumstance

Even the good becomes bad

Because after all what matters

Is your point of view

What looks like 6 to me

Might be 9 to you

In this world we live,

There is no right or wrong

There’s only your truth and my truth

And they rarely get along

So the best thing to do

Is to let that coin toss

Sometimes gain a win

Sometimes accept a loss…

Posted in #poetry

STOEM#9- The Times

On a lazy and boring pandemic afternoon, I smiled for a change when I opened my phone to one of those “this day that year” notification. A set of pictures of one of our family trip brought all those memories back. I asked dad, “Can we watch all these pictures?” on the laptop, and he said, “Even better, lets watch them all together”! A video call was set up, and the whole group sat together recalling all those wonderful moments. We laughed, teased, clapped and argued on the different versions of the same story. Afternoon soon got merged with night and we were still not even half way done. This left me wondering about this creation called Pictures, on which I wrote this stoem….

Times when you laughed as if you don’t care

when you needed someone and they were there

Times when you tried out something new

That dish you cooked, or that sketch you drew

Times when your day wasn’t really good

But you smiled at the camera like anybody would

Times when you were just with your family

Those weddings, birthdays and anniversary

Times you just hit the road to places unknown

those crazy memories that are your own

moments you captured so they could be cherished

re-watched, rewinded and relived,

telling you to smile, Its time to have fun

so stop, take a break, make another one

choose your moments and make them freeze all you need to do is smile and say cheese!

Posted in #poetry, #stories

STOEM#8- THE OPEN PALM

THE OPEN PALM

During the vacation of my 1st standard, we visited a resort named Rann Riders in the Little Rann of Kutch in Gujarat. Our stay was in a wooden cottage with greenery all around. I woke up to find a beautiful butterfly fluttering across my room. I really enjoyed that moment and wanted to catch it as it made me happy. But it flew away and I had tears in my eyes. Seeing me like this my dad said,” Pranjali, good moments are supposed to be observed and enjoyed while you have them, but you can not keep them forever”. He told me an experience which inspired the Stoem below: –

I was sitting on the bench in my favourite place to be,

With nature all around I felt enlightened and free.

That’s when a butterfly came and sat on my palm,

It wasn’t afraid, it was peaceful and calm.

I melted in its colours, I saw perfect symmetry,

Something in me lightened up and filled me with glee.

But as quickly as it had come, it just flew away,

Which made me quite upset, I had so much more to say.

The next day I went to that same place again,

and came the butterfly as if to explain.

My mind full of greed, made me close my hand,

when I opened it, no longer it could stand.

I realized, good moments, like that butterfly, come and go,

You can’t keep them forever, you can’t break the flow.

But always remember when you are letting go of one,

There are many more good moments waiting to come.