By Madhusudan Roy, Volunteer, Bangalore Chapter
“In continued observation of the World Environment Day, AFS Bangalore Chapter in collaboration with its Host school Vidyashilp Academy conducted the first ever Slam Poetry event among its member schools on the 22nd of June 2019. What makes it memorable perhaps is the fact that participants soaked themselves in nature to create their own poems. In sync with the theme “Reconnecting people with nature: paradigm shift from Anthropocentrism to Eco-centrism”, they became the voices of natural objects to slam it on stage!
From among the many evocative poems, Veda Menon of Vidyashilp Academy notched the top place with her ‘countdown’ and instinctive connect to the stage. Tushar from Vydehi School of Excellence ‘roared’ to glory grabbing the second place while Shreysht from the same school received third place for being the voice from another planet. Participants from Global City International School too were winners in their own way! The poems written by all the participants are terrific and they are worth reading and reflecting on the message they deliver to protect our mother earth.
WINNING POETRY
THE 7th DAY By Veda Menon, Vidyashilp Academy, Bangalore
I saw it all happen
What started was over at once,
She boiled, she cried,
She cooled and she smiled
And then took it away without a glance
7 days for the world to end.
I observed as I hid between grass
The mother wept
And the world drowned
They were going to be gone at last
6 days for the world to end
My leaves were staring to wither,
Disease struck
And humans died
They were fading one by one.
5 days for the world to end
She gave ‘ em a steely glance
They froze, they shivered
Begged for some warmth
As the mother turned her back.
4 days for the world to end
She granted the warmth they wanted
They boiled and screamed
And pleaded for mercy
As all my flowers fell apart
3 days for the world to end
I sat staring at the sky
My roots were dead
And I would be too
Before they knew I was gone.
The ROAR of the Kingdom By Tushar Kumar Jain, Vydehi School of Excellence, Bangalore
Who is to be blamed for the man untamed?
The brute savaged blemished the sphere Once a
home to the millions us
A few are truant and others perish to fears.
Survival of the dominant was the rule mankind knows.
But loathed with arrogance the road they go
They quietly continue walking their own path.
But they are quietness goes on killing us with its
own wrath.
You are encroaching on a land
Leaving us no where to stand
You loot, you killed you bombarded the planet.
I reckon you couldn’t handled your unworthy gauntlet.
Don’t you forget the theory of evolution
You didn’t become arrogant in one revolution.
It took you time to ravage our home for more score
And you made all of us deaf with your haughty war.
I ask of you it’s too late can we change it all? Yes, let’s snap to reverse this phase
And bring together them all.
Let’s forget what you scored
Add your pinch of diligence and love and the loom is restored!