As The India Writing Project’s Season 2 came to a close, it did so by illuminating the essence of storytelling, in its most pure, beautiful forms. Providing a stage for writers to articulate their diverse perspectives, this initiative has invigorated the literary community in India, nurturing talent while breaking down barriers of language, age, and experience.
In an impressive array of submissions, one poetic work managed to captivate our hearts, taking us on a sentimental journey back to the days of childhood innocence and simple joys. Awarded the coveted second prize, Pallavi Krishna Kasala’s poem, “The Childhood,” evokes the nostalgia of youth in a way that is both poignant and universally relatable.
For many of us, childhood memories are tinged with a unique blend of joy and melancholy, a feeling that Pallavi has encapsulated perfectly. Her poem touches on the nuances of growing up, from the innocence of playing games to the sweet rebelliousness of school pranks. The poem serves as a vivid canvas that paints every small yet significant detail of childhood—each line offering a glimpse into a past world, which, although long gone, has shaped us into the adults we are today.
Pallavi’s poetic craft extends beyond mere reminiscing. Her work encapsulates a certain sentimentality that urges us to push ourselves out of our adult inhibitions and to rekindle that childlike joy and wonder. In an age that often strips us of our innocence too early, this serves as a pertinent reminder of the beauty in simple pleasures and the importance of cherishing those memories.
As we look forward to an even more electrifying Season 5, let us pause to celebrate this extraordinary piece.
Author: PALLAVI KRISHNA KASALA
Title: The Childhood
Type: Poem
The games we played when young
Angry neighbour Aunty’s face when her doorbell rung
Silly fights we picked on friends
The innumerable toffee spends
Money that got stolen from dad’s pockets
Whiskey bottles to send Diwali rockets
Holidays that got immense joy
Fallen grades only make you cry
Grandparents who pampered you
Fear of ghosts was always true
White polish and black shoes
Running nose, cough and sick day blues
School uniforms, belts, and ties
Catching colourful butterflies
Pretending sick to skip school
Little pranks on April fool
Morning school bus that waited long
Hopping, skipping and singing songs
Running races, bruised hands and legs
Little joys like cracking boiled eggs
Colourful dresses on Birthdays
Waiting for those overdue Sundays
Scribbling through homework to go out and play
Overlooking sun in the summers of May
Pink Panther, Tom & Jerry, and Looney tunes
Missing lunch boxes, forks and spoons
Signing test papers in the morning
Names on board for continuous talking
Contra, Mario, Road Rash and Tekken
Tears that flowed when toys were broken
Waiting for dads last news to get the remote
Running to a friend’s home for missing notes
Countless sibling fights
Can you forget those colourful kites?
Hide & seek and the unfortunate denner
Still love the smell of fevicol, petrol and thinner?
Imaginary characters and stories we bake
Can a pastry beat that honey cake?
Giant wheel, dancing cars, and hurricane
The unexplained hatred towards greens and grains
Stones at mangoes and climbing trees
Pelting hives and running from bees
Classroom, boards, and coloured chalks
Early morning blues and invisible socks
The sun didn’t matter nor did the rain
A paper wasted always called for boats and planes
Funny haircuts we couldn’t deny
Bidding a loving friend, a sad goodbye
Good or bad, this was our childhood
Did all the things a child should
When we couldn’t tell right from wrong
Though vulnerable still thought strong
Look we can’t go back there again
But that child in us hasn’t complained
Push yourself out and wear that smile
Angry aunty’s doorbell hasn’t been rung in a while
We can’t wait to see the narrative marvels that will unfold in Season 7. May this excellent work inspire even more writers to contribute their voices to India’s growing literary scene.
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