Child Rights

Poem Dated: 15.01.95

So much has been said about it
And so much spoken
And yet the picture is the same
Because anything is hardly done

We may see a little girl begging
Or maybe a vendor boy in rags
Yet we shoo him away like a cat or a dog
Because to buy his wares, us he nags

What we don't realize is this
That how much trouble they have to go through
To earn their daily two rupees,
What, what they have to do.

Or there may be a mentally retarded child,
Kept off, shunned in society
Just because he can't walk or talk
Or behave normally like you or me.

These are only a few examples
In this world there are millions of children
Who are deprived even of their basic rights
They can't enjoy or have fun.

Lets put ourselves for a moment
In these unfortunate children's place
See how it is to be exploited, neglected, shunned
To be abused on the face?

Lets pause for a moment and think about them,
Some rights they have too
Rights to freedom, protection and self respect
Rights to have fun and enjoy, just like we do.

They too want love and support
Protection from exploitation, injustice and abuse
They want the right to education,food and shelter
The right to express their views.

Its time we realize this
And come together as one
Show them that we are there
See that something for them is done.

We have been the lucky ones
And thankful to God for that we should be
We are blessed by a home, have parents to love and care
So kind to us has been the Almighty

But these unfortunate children, they can't do anything
They are helpless, they can only plead
So it is up to us now
To realize that attention and love they need

We don't have to do great things,
Just help them in out small ways
A little help from us would really,
Make happier and brighter their days.

It Gave Joy

Poem Dated: 13.4.94

There was a flower once
In a lovely garden sweet
It stood on a green branch
Looking so very neat.

Along came a little girl
Her lovely black hair
Falling on her shoulders
Her face was very fair

Her maid was pushing her wheelchair
You must be wondering why
She was paralyzed you see
She gave a long sigh

As she approached near
Her eyes the flower did see
She pointed to her maid,
"I want it for me"

As the flower fell in her hand
Her worries ran a mile
Her face lit up, her eyes shone
And she did smile

After a while when she looked
In her hand was only a wilted flower
But the moment's joy that it gave
Could not be compared to any hour

So my dear friends
In this short life of ours
Cant we give a joy to someone
Like this little flower

A helping hand can lighten a burden
Or even a smile would do
Keep this little flower in mind,
I will, won't you too?

My Beautiful Goa

Poem Dated: 7.11.92

My beautiful Goa,
With its coconut trees tall,
Swaying in the breeze
Calling out to all

As if it were saying
We are proud to belong
To such a beautiful place
Where you can never go wrong

The beaches of my Goa
With their sparkling water blue
And huge rocks in it
Small ones too!!

And near the sparkling water
There is bright golden sand
Oh! My beautiful Goa,
Oh! My beautiful land!!

The fishermen of my Goa
Humming a cheerful song,
As they go in the deep sea
Taking their boats along

And they return in the evening
With lots and lots of fish
To sell it well in the morning
Is their only wish

And my Goan people
Oh what can I say
So kind, so loving
Merry, cheerful and gay

They call everyone their brother,
And share a cup of "Soro"
And when they are full they say,
"Tu re samko baro"

So my beautiful Goa,
She is a jewel very rare
She is like a paradise on earth
A paradise that cannot be found everywhere.

What has nature taught me?

Poem Dated: 22.9.92

Nature cannot move,
Nature cannot talk
Nature has no hands,
Nor legs to walk

Yet it communicates with us,
It tells us so many things,
Which when we hear,
A bell in our mind rings.

For example the rising sun,
A new hope it does give
To forget all troubles and worries
A new life to live.

And then the tall mountain
So straight does it stand
And even when the worst storm comes
It does not bend.

As if it told me
Whatever be the case,
When the difficulties come
With courage you must face

And the bright moon,
It gives others light
But does not cry or groan
About being alone in the night

Like it told me
Although something we cannot ours make
If we can give it to others
We must, for their sake.

All these messages
Which to me nature told
Are more valuable and precious
Then riches and gold

So my dear friends
When something nature has to say
Listen to it carefully
And use it in the right way.

Mother India

This poem is not dated, but I had written this when I was in Class 9 (So around 1993) as part of a school assignment..

There was a kite once
Stuck in the branches of a tree
Struggling to go up
Struggling to be free

India was this kite
Under the British control
To "Divide and Rule" was
One of their important goal.

The British exploited her
They only wanted to gain
They hurt her, wounded her
They caused her so much pain

Till at last she could not bear
To her children she told
"Come from wherever you are
Free me from the British hold!"

And her children came
From North, south, east and west
To give her injured body
Some coolness,  some rest.

Buddhists, Parsis, Sikhs
Hindus, Muslims and Jains
All of them came
To remove their mother's pains

No matter what their religion was
Wasn't India their mother
And if it was so then
Werent they all brothers?

What was religion now?
When their aim was the same
Was it not to free India
To bring her glory and fame

With these thoughts in mind
They fought shoulder to shoulder
Without any fear or anxiety
They became bolder and bolder

They were not afraid of anything
They were ready to lay their lives
Many mothers lost their sons
And husbands were lost by wives

And because of these sacrifices
On one glorious day
Freedom and independence
At India's feet lay

Everyone was happy
The atmosphere was merry and gay
Hindus and Muslims embraced each other
Happiness was on its way

But this was not for long
For although the British went
They laid the seeds of division
Without the slightest cause to repent.

Soon Pakistan and Bangladesh were separated
And thus Hindus and Muslims divided
This was the fruit of seeds
Which the British had laid

But trouble was not yet over
For in India there were problems too
Hindus and Muslims became greatest enemies
And there was nothing anyone could do.

This trouble is still going on
They are still killing each other
Did they forget what they had said
That they were all brothers?

They fight because of a temple and a mosque
But is not God one?
What does a four sided building matter
That they have to point guns?

They drove away the British because
The British were hurting their mother
Can't they realise now that
Their own crime is no other?

All this killing and murdering
It makes me feel so sad
Can't they have the same unity
Which before freedom they had?

But I know this wont last long
For come what may
A great king in the past has said
"EVEN THIS WILL PASS AWAY"

So lets wait for the future
With new hopes in our mind
That we will unite, become one
And all these divisions leave behind.

My Family

Poem Dated: 20.7.94

Of the house, he is the head,
of all goodness he is made.
He distinguishes between wrong and right,
He always helps me in my plight.
He tries to make me happy in every possible way,
About him there is only one thing I can say,
That I am so very,very glad,
That he is my own wonderful DAD!!

She's always bustling about the house like a busy bee,
She's always cooking delicious, yummy dishes for me.
When I'm ill she comforts me till my pains heal,
When I'm gloomy or unhappy she makes me better feel.
When I'm hurt or troubled, she feels the pain,
She's like the warm sunshine after a heavy rain.
And I'm proud to say that she's no other,
But my dear, wonderful, darling MOTHER!!

She's the pet of the house,
She's a mischief-maker, a little mouse.
When I'm lonely, with me she plays,
And always tries to make me happy, in her little ways.
When I'm happy, she is glad,
When I'm gloomy, she feels sad.
Can you guess who it might be?
Its my "YOUNGER SISTER", you're right you see!!

He tells me stories of his days,
"Always be kind and good", he says
He thinks I am still a little kid,
But he loves me like he always did
He wants me to have all good things,
My success, to him joy brings.
I love him more year by year
Its my wonderful "GRANDPA" dear!!

These four people are very important to me,
They make up my family you see
From these people, I can never be apart
For they are very close to me, they live in my HEART!!

The Midnight Terror

Poem Dated : 1/12/1991

The clock struck twelve

And darkness was all around

Suddenly I heard a sound

That made my heard to pound

I put my slippers

And went downstairs

The darkness around me

Was enough to give me nightmares

Outside it was dark

To put on my torch I tried

But the batteries had gone,

Now I could have cried

As the gate creaked open,

A chill ran down my spine

I heard a tapping sound

That made me to whine

But I soon found out

That water from the garden tap

Was falling in drops

And was harmless as a cap

Relieved I shut the tap

But it was just too early

For I saw something red,

That made my straight hair curly

I went closer to that red

And saw it was a bucket

Relieved and happy,

I went back to the gate

But my problems were not yet over

For I saw a ghostly figure in white

I was a loose gown

That wasn’t very tight

I started to scream

But no voice came from my mouth

I was terrified and became panicky

But I couldn’t even shout

I stood rooted to the ground

And didn’t know what to do

I couldn’t even scream

Even if I wanted to

Suddenly I heard a familiar voice

That said with concern and care

“Wake up dear, or you’ll be late for school”

Thanks Heaven! It was only a nightware!