Weaving stories with words and gestures: Spoken word Poetry

Poetry has fascinated me since Igot introduced to it in school . I have made my amateur ,sometimes hesitant ,sometimes impulsive efforts to write poetry.

Theatre on the other hand  has fascinated me from a distance . The only performance I remember I was selected for was way back in school in the junior section kids play and my only dialogue was " Yes , Father."

That could have been my initiation into the world of theatre but unfortunately (read for me) someone in the extended family got married on the dates of the play and I ended up attending the wedding and missing the play. Well of course finding my replacement wouldn't have been difficult for the teacher. There ended my chances of acting . Anyways being the shy one it wasn't my calling ever .

However the potential of theatre to provide unmatchable avenues of self expression and  ability to reach out to a larger audience in an impactful way has been very admirable for me.

A couple of months ago I stumbled upon a TED talk by Sara Kay and was stuck.  Watching the video was amazing . I was hit by an explosion of words . The ideas flowed and enthralled me and the poetry found wings as it came straight from the heart .

 She introduced me to a wonderful form of self expression called spoken word poetry . In her words " My two loves poetry and theatre married and had a baby ".This baby i.e., spoken word poetry seemed so engrossing and exhilarating to me that I decided to share it on my blog and add two more videos .


The next video is a spoken word poetry by Katie Makkai entitled 'Pretty' . It makes a wonderful insight into the societal pressures of looking pretty and its effect on every girls development and psyche. A powerful piece of work enhanced by the way she narrates it. Love the last part of her poetry .

The last video I would share talks about the agony of a child who is different and is bullied for that. Shane Koyczan uses the power of spoken word poetry to bring that pain alive in front of his audience. He amalgamates spoken word poetry with animation in his project To this day calling for kids to stand up for themselves . Another one straight from the heart.

Spoken word poetry is definitely  a platform to brave and beautiful expression and helps  weave stories with words and gestures.

Do watch the videos . Enjoy :).

Stop making rapists at home !

I am a regular reader of the IHM's blog  " Life and Times of an Indian Homemaker". I came across a post on her blog titled Mera Tharki India : Can we have more such music please!  which was awesome .

I watched the music video on Youtube. As expected there were only 5000 and odd likes for the video while silly and obscene ones become viral in no time. Even though my blog doesn't have a great traffic yet I would repost this one here and share it in my limited sphere.

The  sexist item numbers camouflaged in catchy rhythms and music  are proliferating and I yearn for sensible lyrics . Songs that are not designed to demean  and malign 50 percent of the species and what more creating a competition among bollywood divas to dance to such tunes. Badmaash Babli !! what crap.

This video is a positive attempt to point out that rapists don't come from anywhere else they are nurtured and produced in our very own homes.

Mera Tharki India!!!

What should be the age limit for being called Juvenile?

Juvenile . This word had left me raging as it covered up for the 17 year old rapist of the Delhi gangrape case. The reports made it evident that he was the most brutal and perverted of them all and yet his age made him escape punishment.

Today I read about the verdict in the Steubenville rape case and in days I felt good. I am proud of the parents you stood by their daughter .

That said I am really worried about the word juvenile. While they are arguing over reducing the age of consent I am wondering about the age bar for being a juvenile. The Steubenville case was scary considering the complete lack of morality and humanity and was  stunning cos they were all teens . Though we can't dismiss it saying that happened in US . A recent gang rape case involving all juveniles (victim and the rapists included) makes it evident that Indian teens ain't far behind.

WHO defines child as every human being  who is below the age of 18 years ,unless under the law applicable majority is attained earlier. 

Children!!! I am rethinking over where to put the limit tag to think that innocence and purity of heart is still alive ... 

who is a juvenile??? I keep wondering still .

More than that I wonder to what limit are we pushing our children that they cross over the bridge without crossing the age.

I read this poem by W.H. Auden ' The shield of Achilles'  when I was 17 . These words had shook me then and now they almost sound like a prophecy.

                       A ragged urchin, aimless and alone, 

                          Loitered about that vacancy;

            a bird Flew up to safety from his well-aimed stone:

             That girls are raped, that two boys knife a third,

                                      Were axioms to him, 

                           who'd never heard Of any world

                              where promises were kept, 

                    Or one could weep because another wept. 

What do you think should be the age limit for being called juvenile??

Wee

As I brewed a 

cup of coffee

In a trance  

and

boiled milk for

two cups of tea.

I contemplated on 

celestial properties

Of a  ginger

(Influenced by Neruda’s piece on lemon)

And ironically crushed none

 in the tea..

I dipped the biscuits

Ate them all mushy..

rescuing them in time

from a plunge in the coffee..

Alone I mused 

over this 

Life of  little

rituals..

trapped unapologetically

in an unparalleled wee..