Aabha Rosy Vatsa writes

FAIRIES

Where have the fairies gone

When they used to gift carriages horse drawn

When the stardust fell like cotton wool

And life was wholesome and oh so full

Where have the fairies gone

Which watered the kitchen gardens

When picnics were held in backyard lanes

And hearts never hardened

Where have the fairies gone

Who graced the shelves of libraries

When night long reading never brought yawns

And winters were spent picking fallen berries

Where have the fairies gone

When parks used to be places of social encounters

When love was more in vogue than brawn

And home food  aroma was prevalent instead of fast food counters

 

Where have the fairies gone

When values, manners and integrity shone like medals

When it was considered sacrilegious to con

And country echoed with biking pedals

Where have the fairies gone

When life was a languorous seven course meal

When zoos witnessed courting swans

And humanity was not abandoned to heal.

Aabha Rosy Vatsa writes

FAIRIES

Where have the fairies gone

When they used to gift carriages horse drawn

When the stardust fell like cotton wool

And life was wholesome and oh so full

Where have the fairies gone

Which watered the kitchen gardens

When picnics were held in backyard lanes

And hearts never hardened

Where have the fairies gone

Who graced the shelves of libraries

When night long reading never brought yawns

And winters were spent picking fallen berries

Where have the fairies gone

When parks used to be places of social encounters

When love was more in vogue than brawn

And home food  aroma was prevalent instead of fast food counters

Where have the fairies gone

When values, manners and integrity shone like medals

When it was considered sacrilegious  to con

And country echoed with biking pedals

Where have the fairies gone

When life was a languorous seven course meal

When zoos witnessed courting swans

And humanity was not abandoned to heal.

Aabha Rosy Vatsa writes

MY FATHER'S DAUGHTER

It is true that my mother gave birth to me

It is true that I learned the essence of a woman

From my amazing mother

But I got the of imprints of my soul

From my father

As Mum was always occupied in household chores

Raising four young girls

So am I my father's daughter?

I feel so!

Delightedly!

You taught me the love of proverbs and quotations

By quoting them to impart values

You taught me tenderness and caring

By tending to the broken wings of a sparrow

You taught me the virtues of patience

By carefully wrapping home grown custard apples in newspapers to ripen

You taught me humility

By showing me the fruit laden tree

You taught me to appreciate Nature and a love of gardening

By your green fingers and amazing kitchen garden

You taught me that lazy habits could be overcome

By citing the example of green stick which could bend unlike the hard stick brown one

You taught me to embrace a new culture

As you made us comfortable in Zambia

You taught me the importance of hard work

By not only making me studious, but practising diligence in life

You taught me economy

By living and practising an economical lifestyle

You taught me to celebrate life

By always preparing for festivities

You taught me the importance of laughter

By cracking jokes

You taught me the love for the world

By encouraging my stamp collection

You taught me the virtue of a big heart

By quoting the Punjabi proverb

'Rab neetan nu bhaag laganda hai"*

You taught me the importance of good handwriting

By making me practise cursive handwriting

You taught me grace

By being generous to one and all

But your greatest gift of all is SPIRITUALITY

For you taught me to surrender at the feet of the Lord

A sense of wonder at every creation of His

Be it the fathomless ocean

The towering Redwoods

The lofty mountains

The life giving rivers

Or the flora and fauna

Together  you and Mum formed  a winning team

To impart the best values to your daughters

An apt example for me to emulate

Today on Father's day

I offer you this humble poem

In full gratitude

As

'My father' s Daughter'

* This is the first time.
 

 

orange day red dad silhouette -- yuuna

Aabha Rosy Vatsa writes

COLORS

The astral alignment was not a mirage

It was an event executed by the heavens

The encounter was not  a virtual fling

But one of warm breaths and spell binding gazes

The memories carved were passionate and intense

Destinies locked and interwoven

A bond mightier than the tangled web woven by enemies

A love greater than daunting mountains

Most emotions are woven in shades of grey

But this was a love crimson and passionate

Burning with tongues of fire

Passions that blazed through lifetimes

You bathed me in rainbow colors

Each one of the seven colors an amorous gift

Nurturing the bond through the breezy zephyr

A testimony of that staggering and glorious encounter

For it was a love meant to be

A union meant to be

Manoeuvering treachery and mazes

Till Eternity and beyond

Laüra Hollick -- Stephanie Pehar

Aabha Rosy Vatsa writes

AIN'T I A WOMAN

Ain't I a woman.

Capable of sparking a revolution

Transforming lives

Changing attitudes

Propelling a mass movement

As history is my witness

Ain't I a woman

Who protested for our rights

Right to speak up

Right to vote

Right to social acceptance

Right to equal pay

Right to equal opportunity

Right to practise religious beliefs

Right to be a parliamentarian

As history is my witness

Ain't I a woman

That nurtures a belief

That men and women were created equal

That spearheaded Feminism

Striving for liberation

Hopeful of a Utopian society

For we marched in millions

For a women friendly world

As history is my witness

Ain't I a woman

Who dared to stand up

Against the pitfalls of World War 1

And boldly proclaim in Russia

'Bread and Peace'

Driving out the Czar

Laying the seeds of Russian revolution

As history is my witness

Ain't I a woman

Who stood up against female genital mutilation

And sparked a riot in Nigeria

Sending palm leaves to sisters

Forcing the unscrupulous chiefs to resign

And exempting women from taxes

As history is my witness

Ain't I a woman

Who collectively gathered all laundresses

And sparked a revolution

Forcing the Irish lawmakers

To grant a second week of annual holiday

As history is my witness

Ain't I a woman

Belonging to the league of Eleanor Roosevelt

Who read out  an open letter at the UN

Inspiring women to become involved

In national and international affairs

As history is my witness

Ain't I a woman

The unforgettable Butterflies

Of the Dominic Republic

Openly opposing dictatorship

Assassinated in cold blood

But giving forth to November 25

As international day to end violence against women

As history is my witness

Ain't I a woman

Revolting in Iceland

To protest against economic inequality

Announcing woman's day off

Bringing the nation to a standstill

As history is my witness

Ain't I a woman

Protesting against civil war

Forcing men to practise peace

And take instant action

Ending a fourteen year civil war in Liberia

Appointing the first female head of state

As history is my witness

Ain't I a woman

A member of Gulabi Gang

Who dared to raise voice against domestic abuse

Wielding bamboo sticks

A pink revolution for injustice against women

As history is my witness

Ain't I a woman

Creating an uprising

From Morocco female land owners

To Tunisia fighting for gender equality

To Lebanon scrapping the controversial rape law

As history is my witness

Ain't I a woman

As Malala Yousafza

Shot by propagandists and extremists

Revolting against the heinous attack

Giving the message

'Education for Girls'

As history is my witness

Ain't I a woman

Capitalizing on digital activism

With hashtags

#BringBackOurGirls

#EverydaySexism

#WomanShould

#MeToo

#HeForShe

As history  is my witness

Ain't I a woman

Enlivened by environment

Forsaking patriarchy

Revolting against domestic violence

Speaking out against sexual harassment

Taking on gender inequality

For the time is now

For the time is here and now

And nothing can stop me

Nothing will stop me

The Intervention of the Sabine Women -- Jacques-Louis David