Good to see you again. After I wrote 'Lobotomy' (see previous post: 'Am I a poet?'), I really liked it to the extent that I decided to write a few more poems. As you will soon find out, all of the following poems are based on classroom-related incidents. I tried to rhyme in some of these poems which, according to my opinion, demeaned the 'raw quality' of my thoughts. Anyway, here goes nothing:
Corporal Punishment
Struggling to get away
Wriggling out of trouble's way
Hatred over fear and anger is winning
Tormentors are icily grinning
Screaming as loud as silence can be
When, oh when, will we be free?
Brownie Points
Counterfieted smiles on the front row
Individuality takes a backseat now
No one cares if it's good or bad
Blind compliance makes it funny-sad.
Sleep Deprivation
Eyelids shutting comprehension down
Voids eating my cranial nerves
Bluebirds flying in numerous forms
Old Rip calling with outstretched hands.
Notes:
For the first and last time on my blog, let me be personal. I hated school-days; I wanted to get out of it as soon as possible. The only solace for me was with my English teacher - now he was a 'diamond in the rough' kind of person; these poems are about the others - the vicous kind. The cultural stereotyping in India (at least in Tiruvallur) meant that the teachers could do anything they wanted to and get away with it. Hence the reference to the 'Fear -> Anger -> Hatred' theory as to how a student feels by being subjected to such torturous brutes.
I do not mean that all students were treated this way; you need to be a 'bootlick' to be in their good looks. The respect was always demanded; never commanded (with the exception of my English Teacher). So, all you need to do is sit in the front row, do whatever they wanted you to, say 'Sir, yes Sir!' to all the say and voila! you are the best student. Hence my poem on brownie points.
So, what does a regular, self-respecting student do? Sleep. What if that too is denied? Sleep Deprivation. Rip van Winkle was always a role-model for me during those days.
That's enough poems for some time, I guess; back to my Philosophies, then.
Ta-ta,
Ravi Teja R.
8 comments:
i like your poems. cinematic...
Oh.. So the poems ARE connected... I thought that was just the way I looked at it, before you came up with the notes for them.
And I think you're right about the rhyming. It ruined "Corporal Punishment". "Brownie Points" is damn cool, though.
oh...you are so busy these days, ou don't have time to update your blog.
anyhoot, am waiting for the next series of haikus.
see you around man!
i'm so sorry to tell you this, but, i update my blog only about twice a month... and also that i'm not a regular poet; unlike you writing exceptionally good poems almost every day!
ha! it's the boyfriend who writes exceptionally good poems. not me. am just an accidental poetess. anyway, hope everything's going on well with you.
what inspires you to write poems?
The first thing that makes me write poems is the love of reading others' poetry. The poem that inspired me to write poetry was Ruskin Bond's 'Lone fox dancing'.
As I walked home last night
I saw a lone fox dancing
In the cold moonlight.
I stood and watched. Then
Took the low road, knowing
The night was his by right.
Sometimes, when words ring true,
I'm like a lone fox dancing
In the morning dew.
It told me that the real purpose of poetry was not to impress anyone; rather, it is for one's own selfish pleasure - like the lone fox dancing all by itself.
Thats cool yaar, even i like poetry a bit...anyways keep posting your poems...
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