Aparna wrote this poem today at the literary workshop for school children at the Hyderabad Literary Festival held at Taramati Baradari. I am thrilled at her effort and even more pleased to share that she won a prize for it, 8 poems from 140 submissions were selected for the prize.
MY FIRST LOVE
He came into my life
One Sunday morning
He was my first
He brought such joy I have never felt before
We brought him home
He explored the place
He settled down and took a rest.
I looked at him lovingly,
Imagining how life would be now.
The days passed
And I grew to love him more
We ran and played
And grew closer
He became a part of me; a possession
Perhaps I took him for granted
For four years later,
When I saw him lying still there, I was devastated.
His tongue out, and his tail stiff,
Tears rolled out and fell to the floor.
I knew he was gone forever.
I looked at him lovingly,
Imagining how life would be now
Without him.
But when he was here, I had been happy
‘That was his job,’ she said, ‘to make you happy.’
‘To teach you how to love.’
I hope he’s happy in heaven
Chasing butterflies and cats
My first ever pet,
Sharky.
Fantastic stuff Aparna. Really loved the poem, the way you set it up, the change in mood, the way it leaves you with a deep impact, the visual element of Sharky happy in heaven. Brilliant! Keep at it.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the encouraging words Hari. It means a lot coming from a published writer like you.
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