[Poem Spree] Focus

#187

Focus on your life, your work, your goals

Hustle to see yourself fill the empty holes

Actively take on many different roles

And perhaps, inspire a few souls

Put on blinders, adopt tunnel vision

Keep reminding yourself what's your mission

Free your mind from any inhibition

You are your own competition

Them 'Boosters' - happy pics and a T-Swift song

Soothing instrumentals or a sing-along

In these things, there ain't no right or wrong

Pick whatever works, find where you belong

Play to your strengths, achieve more and more

Till your body's tired and your brain, sore

Make you forget who and what you were before

Focus on the present and future, till the days of yore!

[Poem Spree] Comfort zone

#186

Step outside your comfort zone

Find the rhythm, find the tone

Encourage yourself every day

You've got a hundred things to slay today!

Give your body the rest it needs

Continue doing for it, good deeds

Great things will happen in due time

Sleeping more is not a crime!

See what's important, mind the urgent

Keep a log of all the time spent

Create a process and a framework

Responsibilities, you're not one to shirk!

You can do it all buddy

Set aside time for serious study

Hustle hustle hustle, girl

Let your talents and strengths unfurl!

[Poem Spree] 8-liners

#185

Challenged myself to write at least 8-line poems on random topics, whatever pops to mind:

TBBT

The big bang theory

Sheldon, Leonard, Howard and Raj

Binge watch till our eyes become weary

A show that never gets too old to rewatch

Penny enters in the Pilot

Bernadette 3 seasons later

Amy in season 3 final cut

Ladies galore, fun was greater!

Fights, arguments among discoveries

Rom-com, thriller all-in-one

Later seasons made recoveries

So much laughter, so much fun

Shakespeare

Shakespeare the Great

The Bard, the Poet, the Playwright

Ever wonder what he ate?

Be surprised - you just might!

Left brain, right brain, what a conundrum!

Read all about it, and then some

Use one, use both, the time will come

Where you're adept at everything, old chum!

Psychology

Welcome to the world of psychology

Where I try to explain terms via analogy

Anchoring, framing, confirmation bias

In reality, it's utter chaos!

Poor, poor Kitty Genovese

The killer stabbed her with ease

Onlookers did nothing as if having a brain defect

Thus was born the bystander effect

Little Friend

Under the mistletoe

Dressed in a little bow

Was the littlest, prettiest puppy I'd seen

How lucky, that day, I'd been!

Took him home, fed him too

Who'd left him there, I'd no clue

Together we played

Together we stayed

OTT

YouTube, Prime, Netflix

Thrillers to chick flicks

Could there be any more distractions?

All around us abound subscriptions

What a crazy two weeks it has been

Times I'm awake no one has ever seen

Slackened, deviated, lack of time

Responding only on messenger named Chime

Didn't read or write outside of work

Other responsibilities too, I did shirk

It's been so hectic, what can I say?

Can't differentiate night from day

[Poem Spree] Monotony

#184

Day after day

Hours go by

Life finds a way

To simply get by

Whether you wonder

Or be immersed in a task

Time will pull asunder

To bits, your task

Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Afternoon tea - we can give it a miss!

But you're a smooth spinner

Got nothing under duress

Toastmasters, doc reviews

Office work, then some blogging

Multitasking may seem like a clever ruse

Until for an hour, you go jogging

We all crave for change

At some point or the other

Let's turn the page

And help one another

Could this poem be any more random?

I think not, but it's okay!

I will not abandon

Myself or the things I say!

Writing is fun, so are poems

Rhyming, wordplay, shrewd puns

Confined within the walls of our homes

I prithee, try this once?

[Poem Spree] VUCA World

#183

Sharing a few more shorter poems written on a whim!

Consumed by inaction

She helplessly lay there

Wanting to gain traction

She urged herself to dare

To venture into the unknown

Enter into the VUCA world

Determined to achieve, all alone

Her arms quivered, her head twirled

Scared but focused, tense yet happy

Step by step, one by one

Svelte, shrewd and scrappy

So many hearts she eventually won!

Continuing the Poem Spree

#182

On Math

I was in grade one

They taught me to add

It was great fun

And not so bad

In grade two we had more

I learned to multiply

How easy to score

I was quick to comply

Grades 3 and 4 went by

I entered secondary school

It made me wanna cry

O how uncool!

'Cause grade five was abound

With fraction and decimal

My head spun around

Nothing seemed normal

Grades six, seven, eight

Algebra, math, geometry

I thought it was fate

Until came symmetry

Akin to freehand drawing

Making mirror images

Not at all annoying

Filling up these pages

Grade nine math was unique

Something uncommon, so unusual

Chances of scoring so bleak

I couldn't afford to be casual

At last came the final grade

Ten grade, Oh my God!

Math was now a game I played

What a happy ending, please applaud!

[Pretty Poems] Best Friend

#125

A poem for an old BITS friend I wrote, back in 2013:

I remember when I first met you

It was during the first hour

You were dressed in blue

And looked like a star

Good to have you all along

You always make my day

If asked to dedicate a song

'Count on me' by Bruno Mars, I'd say

I like to listen, you like to speak

What a perfect combination

You look like a geek, I am a geek

Don't mind the revelation

Your poems are wonderful

Composition in two languages is superb

You have inspired me to write a handful

Now it's something I can't curb

You're a great teacher

You enjoy the art as well

You're also a good preacher

So much philosophy, you like to tell

Well, buddy, I guess I've said a lot

The poem's coming to an end

I've given it quite some thought

Take care, best friend!

[Pretty Poems] Oldies (3/3)

#124

A collection of old poems

Part 3 of 3:

2007

Continued: a few poems I composed for Dad's office magazine, which also featured creative content from other kids such as drawing and story writing.

Rain

The sky blinked its eye

Oh goodness! Oh my!

There was a flash of lightning

Means it's gonna start raining

So hold your umbrellas tightly

Don't take this matter lightly

Please do clutch with both hands your umbrella

Else you will face the same fate as Miss Stella

Who did it the other way round

And got a bruise falling on the ground

"Oh, what a nuisance!" her mother said

Oh dear, now she has to be in bed

So friends, let us not be foolish like her

Otherwise, we too would be under the cover

Lost in the Middle East

Lost in the Middle East

Was some kind of beast

He was an ailing tiger

Came from the lands of Niger

Oh, now what should he do?

Without even a sock or shoe

Then he met a camel

Who was munch-munching caramel

At last, he found a companion

Whose name was Marian

She was also lonely

With one doll only

So they had a good time together

The tiger was glad he was lost forever.

[Pretty Poems] Oldies (2/3)

#123

A collection of old poems

Part 2 of 3:

2007

A few poems I composed for Dad's office magazine, which also featured creative content from other kids such as drawing and story writing.

What is Magic?

Magic is all about hiding

Fingering, palming, sliding

You palm your coin

Pieces together, you join

Produce a feather or bunny

I must admit, it's funny

I learnt to do some magic

It was an experience not at all tragic

Oh! This I must say

You must be willing to pay

Mainly to learn the basic needs

But also for your good deeds

Magic is a wonderful art

Not to display on a chart

It's all about skill

I can. I must. I will.

Just don't let the cat out of the bag

Else it'll be useless to brag

America

When we have our new year

America thinks about the future

When we have our night

They have a lot of light

But we have problems

As we are never chums

'Cause some are terrorists

And some trap us in mists

But my cousin lives there

With all sorts of friendly bears

Hope they all take care!

[Pretty Poems] Oldies (1/3)

#122

A collection of old poems

Part 1 of 3:

2005

A small tribute to one of my favourite teachers, Miss Harpreet, who taught us English and EVE (Environmental Education) and was also our class teacher:

Harpreet Ma'am

Goes bam, bam, bam

Teaches all us kids

To use our heads

She teaches us English 

Dresses up all stylish

Teaches EVE stuff

Makes our brains puff

Teaches us day and night

Makes us all bright

Thanks to Harpreet Ma'am

Who always goes bam, bam, bam!

2009

A poem I penned on Mothers' Day:

Who is This Mysterious Woman?

This is a poem dedicated to a person

Who plays an important role in my life

She is very special – that is certain

And also my father's wife.

She is filled with patience

And love and affection too

Frequent anger she shuns

Something I too will learn to do.

She is a great teacher

And a great learner as well

She possesses a great feature

Of having versatile qualities, I must tell.

Who is this mysterious woman?

Do you recognise her?

Well, well, she is none other than

My very own mother!

[Pretty Poems] Jeopardy

#121

Now welcome the host, Alex Trebek

Podium display check, buzzer check

Three contestants line up, all ready

Come on now, let's play Jeopardy!

We're used to answering questions

Has been that way ever since

Here we're given answers as clues

Your response should be a query, else you lose

Regular clues in Jeopardy, then Double Jeopardy

Daily doubles are hidden so choose cleverly

Contestants stand behind their lectern

In Final Jeopardy you may see the tables turn

Some folks seem to remain unbeaten

Next day's show weclomes the returning champion

Most clues are read out by Alex, some by Sarah and Jimmy too

If Alex can't travel for a video question, he says "Here's Kelly with the clue"

Topics range across history and popular culture

Arts, science, current events and literature

Clues also feature languages and puns

Shared themes are common, wordplay there'll be tons

Merv Griffin's brainchild, 52 years on air

Only a handful are chosen, how do you fare?

I've binge watched the show several times

I'll end the poem 'cause I'm out of rhymes!

[Pretty Poems] Gratitude

#120

Gratitude journaling before bedtime is a humbling habit I've been practicing. Wrote a gratitude poem one fine day in January 2021. May we all take time to express gratefulness for all things small and big.

I am grateful for this day

Grateful for this life

It could've been in any other way

Past of future? My internal strife

But I've zero regrets

I look forward to what's in store

Away from complaints and frets

Excited to my very core

Life has its ups and downs

I learn to take it in my stride

Your choice - be all smiles or frowns

Ask your mind, a faithful guide

I wish for nice things

For myself and others

Let's indulge in givings

Like sisters and brothers

I am grateful for my work

My home and my husband too

Responsibilities, I've learned not to shirk

Can't waste time feeling blue

I'm grateful for all that we can afford

Buying things to satisfy a desire

Pray I never get bored

And keep alive every fire

I'm grateful for my health

I love taking care of me

I'm grateful for my amassed wealth

It's true - the best things in life are free!

[Pretty Poems] The Veggie Song

#119

I know sometimes non-vegetarians wonder how many vegetables are even there! Presenting to you the veggie song! I love vegetables a lot but for better rhymes, it may seem as though I'm complaining.

Enjoy!

Bottle gourd, snake gourd

Bitter gourd, even ridge gourd

Oh, what a hoard!

I am so bored

Spinach, keerai, palak

Am I out of luck?

No way out, I am stuck

Yucky yuck yuck

How about cabbage

Did you say garbage

What a load of baggage

Nothing to forage

Cauliflower and carrot

Caught in a rut

You're such a nut

No if, no but

Potato and onion - what a combo!

It ain't some mumbo-jumbo

Half-boiled would be a big blow

Good news - it can be rectified though

Asparagus and broccoli

It's time to flee

"They're tasty"- Oh really?

Nothing short of a calamity

Moving on to exotic stuff

Colocasia, pumpkin, yam - enough?

I called your bluff

Eat it, don't you rebuff

Sweet potato and eggplant

Varieties made by your aunt

With the sole purpose to enchant

Avoiding or escaping you shan't

Indian ivy gourd and okra

Magical flavours, abra-cadabra

Scrumptious lunch followed by mocha

Almost done with the veggie quota

Radish versus beetroot

Pungent or a sweet shoot?

Boiled veggies are such a beaut

All aboard the veggie train, toot-toot!

[Pretty Poems] Learn To Learn

#118

Learnt how to learn through a course on Coursera

All thanks to professors Terrence and Barbara

Started out with modes of learning

Focused vs diffused, unlearning and relearning

Deliberate practice to work the brain

Memory is a muscle, let us together train

Similar topics you may chunk

Exams would then be a slam dunk!

Over time our concentration tires

Let's beware of metabolic vampires

Sleep well, things shift to long-term memory

Only then we move from novice to mastery

Working memory is limited with 4 slots

We must learn to connect the dots

Interleaving along with spaced repetition

Against yourself is the sole competition

Transfer learning - something you can try

Similar concepts to other subjects, you must apply

Illusion of learning - don't fall prey

Else later, a heavy price you might pay

Cramming or planning? It's your choice

Whether playing or studying, keep your life in poise

Create mnemonics or use a memory palace

Find ways to remember your Wonderland, Alice!

Build habits via cue, routine, reward, belief

They'll help you heave a sigh of relief

Use the Pomodoro timer, become gritty and witty

In the end, you'll encounter the Law of Serendipity!

Discover joys in consuming knowledge

Doing things the right way can be your pledge

Level up your academic credential

Learning how to learn is indeed essential

[Pretty Poems] College Days

#117

First year, second year

Start out all naive

Make new friends, shed no tear

Only dance and jive

Third year, time to "up-grade"

Earn some street cred

No longer in anyone's shade

On eggshells, you no longer tread

Studying and learning with more enthu

Gym and table tennis continue in full throttle

Envisioned future earlier, so now deja vu?

It's way better, the genie is still in the bottle

Gotta learn to just focus, concentrate

It’s all gonna be fine

In the mirror, look straight

All you must do is see yourself shine

You’re gonna become stronger

Crack GRE, crack interviews

Some things may take longer

"We got the (will) power”, ain’t no issues!

Keep motivating yourself everyday

No matter who, no matter what

You shan’t go astray

You shall control your mind and thought

Victorious, you will emerge

Happiness, you will bring about

Negative vibes, please purge

4th year coming to an end, over and out.

[Pretty Poems] Introduction to Limericks

#116

A limerick is a short 5-line, typically humorous, poem where lines 1, 2 and 5 rhyme and lines 3 and 4 contain a different rhyme. Lines 1, 2, and 5 usually contain 8 or 9 syllables while lines 3 and 4 are shorter, with just 5 or 6 syllables. The limerick often starts with the phrase 'There once was a' or 'There was a...'

Limericks also appear as nursery rhymes. You may be familiar with this:

Hickory, dickory, dock.

The mouse ran up the clock.

The clock struck one,

The mouse ran down,

Hickory, dickory, dock.

Similar to 'haiku day', I penned a few random limericks on a worthwhile Wednesday evening. Enjoy! 

Old lady:

There was an old lady of yore

Talking to her was a big bore

Until she pranced,

Sang and danced

We didn't find her dull anymore!

Shoe:

There once was a shoe

Fully covered in sticky goo

I took it home

Scrubbed till it shone

Until it looked brand new

Paula:

There was once a girl named Paula

Who was fond of the Australian dollar

So she travelled to Sydney

After donating her kidney

And sought refuge under a Maula!

Girl with a beard:

There once was a girl with a beard

Everyone thought she was weird

She stood proudly

Others laughed loudly

Until a small boy held her hand and cheered

[Pretty Poems] The electricity is out

#115

In September of 2019, we were staying in a place called Thoraipakkam. The terrace was magnificent, way better than living in the studio apartment-like house. One day, when the electricity went out at around 3pm, it was too hot and suffocating for me to sit inside the house so I found a place under some shade on the terrace. I took my pen and paper and started jotting down the below poem.

Enjoy!

The electricity is out

So I'm sitting on the terrace

All I can is sit and pout

Wishing the sun bore down on me less

I woke up early today

Thinking I'd accomplish a lot

Who knew bad luck was heading my way

To throw my fine hours into the trash pot?

Some days are great, others not so much

I try my best on the days I can

C'est la vie, life is such

All I can do then is chalk out a plan!

Oh, our dependency on electricity!

Phones, laptops, anything that can be charged

What a shame, what a pity

A new generation of people have emerged

How'd I know if power is back?

I won't unless I go down

Hoping I can make up for the lack

Of work time, donning a frown

I shall go try my luck

So, farewell for now

Truly long to be unstuck

Adios, buh-bye, ciao!

[Pretty Poems] The itch of the mosquito bite

#114

In India, especially in hot places like Chennai, mosquitoes are a perpetual problem. Just a couple of weeks ago, I wrote a post on how mosquitoes make me angry. This time around, I wrote a poem that describes what all I've tried to evade these pests.

Enjoy!

A mosquito sat on my elbow

I swat it, but it just won't go

The swelling continues to grow

My hand, scratching to and fro

The itch of the mosquito bite

Ever fleeting, ever so slight

Oh how addictive is the itching

Can't keep myself from twitching

The blister, now the size of an eye

The inevitable itchiness, oh my!

Mosquitoes find me tasty, why o why?

None of the repellants work, sigh!

Been there, done that

All Out, Odomos, even the bat

What used to work doesn't now - the hand swat

They're evolving faster than we are, drat!

Hot temperatures, puddles of water

We need measures for mosquito slaughter

We need to do this, we really ought to!

I'm out of options, what do we do!?

Endless will be these mosquito wars

Sadly, they're as old as dinosaurs

Perils of the Lindy effect

Let's rid ourselves of this mosquito sect!

[Pretty Poems] Baby's Day Out

#113

July 18, 2007

Poem 4 of 4:

My baby went out

And she was just about

At the right time, to come in

When she stepped on a pin

She cried and cried

Repeatedly, her tears we dried

Later I asked her about her day

She replied quickly sounding gay

Hence I gave her a toy

Because she did enjoy

It made her glad as she never gets any

But now she knows she'll get many!

[Pretty Poems] My Doll

#112

July 18, 2007

Poem 3 of 4:

I just love my doll
He's round as a ball
I like him no matter what he is
I come home daily to give him a kiss

Do you know what he is?
Well, let me tell you this
He is a Teddy
But he likes to be called 'Eddy'

All my friends love him
And tickle him under his chin
Thus I consider Eddy the best bear
Who receives good treatment and special care.