A touching short story of a humble Christian family and the unconditional gift of love they received from their daughter on Christmas eve.
A deeply philosophical poem about the various nuances of human life and what makes life meaningful for us.
A whimsical poem about how a poet's verses can leave a deep impact on the reader's mind.
In every goodbye, let there be the rambling of lost loves...
A touching poem of walking away from the land you are rooted to.
On the festive occasion of Christmas eve, Ramendra Kumar presents a touching short story on the real spirit of Merry Christmas and how owning up to one's mistakes is the first courageous step towards self improvement.
A tongue-in-cheek look at the irrepressible Mashima who has an opinion on everything. By noted cultural ambassador and dancer, Sohini Roychowdhury.
"Sehwag has been described as a simple cricketer who didn’t think much and just batted. The see-ball, hit-ball cliché must have been used a million times on him. Adjectives like brutal, primitive, savage have been used by copywriters to describe his batting."
Raj Swaroop explores how the maverick Virender Sehwag wore different hats to blaze his way through the most vicious of bowling attacks.
Legendary singer Geeta Dutt's nephew Ashis Basu recounts some golden moments spent with 'Geetu Pishi'.
Spectre is a visual treat on celluloid. The scenes shot beautifully, of Rome as never seen before, the Alps, the train to Tangier through Sahara and of course, London, will stay with you for a long time in sweet memories.
A heartfelt tribute to the auspicious festival of lights, Deepavali or Diwali, and a plea to all of humanity to rekindle their inner lights.
![Pic courtesy: UrbanUrban_ru (Flickr: DIWALI INDIA 2) [CC BY-SA 2.0]](https://learningandcreativity.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Diwali_fireworks-By-UrbanUrban_ru-Flickr-DIWALI-INDIA-2-CC-BY-SA-2.0-150x100.jpg)
Ramendra Kumar recalls some beautiful memories of his childhood of Diwali celebrations that were sparkling times of innocence, fun and merriment.
What are Pujas all about? Are they only about merry making, singing, dancing, and eating? - A touching short story about the real spirit of the Durga Puja.
A dark poem unfolding some mysterious nuances of the mind that aches when it hurts someone close.
Ramendra Kumar writes a tongue-in-cheek account of his tryst with Haemangioma and playing dumb charades to communicate. An inspirational account of battling a serious health problem with a positive attitude.
We are very glad and honoured to announce the results of our Roseate Sonnets contest, for which we received an overwhelming response in Learning and Creativity.
A nostalgic love story written with the phenomenal Coffee House of College Street, Kolkata as the backdrop.
A unique, experimental poetic form, the Roseate Sonnet, invented by Dr. A.V. Koshy and inspired by the symbol of the rose, that also inspired other poets to try it.
A touching poem written to honour the love between a mother and her differently abled son.
A powerful, hard-hitting poem depicting the spiritual essence of river Ganga and how the river has degenerated over the ages in the hands of humans.
I would like to thank Dr. Ampat Koshi for his introducing this poetic form and due to his inspiration, this poem took birth. Of course, the Acrostic throughout the poem is my effort, that was not required for the Roseate sonnet except for the word Rose in the last quatrain. ~ note from Sunila Kamal Khemchandani
A roseate sonnet with a beautiful rhyming structure and an acrostic of a rose in the last four lines. This poem was voted in the Rejected Stuff group as one of the two best sonnets.
A critical and enriching poem on the scope and purpose of art and how art originated in human minds.
A seething projection of female infanticide, a rampant truth still prevalent in our country, as a mother mourns her lost womb.
A daughter's emotional moments captured while parting from her father after her marriage ceremony.
A beautiful ode and a tribute to the relentless creative and artistic spirit of the human mind, the bodies and the beings that sing, dance, paint, write.
An evocative journey of the poet's mind that essays the beauty and spiritual ardour of Varanasi, the river Ganges, the temples and the serenity around.
A sweet memory of a sharing a taxi ride with Sankar, writer of the famed novels Kato Ajanare, Chowringhee, Jana Aranya, Seemabaddha and others.
A humorous look at the vagaries of the newly English speaking community of the IT world.
A love poem about the wondrous desires of the heart and the ardent passions that define them.
You were the closest
that came
to my notion of companionship.
But, where were you?
In gilt, I framed
pictures of you —
soft, sullen,
seductive, surreal.
As the climate...
Powerful poetry with rich symbolism commenting on the richness and inexplicable ardour of human love.
A heartfelt tribute to a mother and the quintessential essence of her presence, depicted by her daughter.
A short piece about the gifts of generosity, the fourth one in the musing series by Dr. Bakaya where she yet again shows the benevolent spirit of love.
A surreal nature poem celebrating the exquisite beauty and wonder of the sea and the natural landscape.
A wistful, ruminative poem about the seasons and the human cravings that define them.
In a real life David vs Goliath story, an unassuming 15-year-old elocutionist gives the mighty Indian broadcaster a stiff and determined challenge.
A mother's sweet, endearing rumination about her daughter, her growing up and the interrelation between both the mother and daughter.
A wistful entourage of memories of an old love soon to be buried under the recesses of a young girl's mind, addressed to her mother just before her wedding.
A wistful poet's prayer that encompasses his emotional fervour, his love for nature's bounty and the wondrous memories of his life in his village.
In her series of humorous musings, Santosh Bakaya looks at the disasters WhatsApp can create for the young generation hooked on to selfies.
An uncanny and absorbing fictional piece, inspired by Charles Dickens' phenomenal work 'The Christmas Carol' and presented as a homage to the novelist.
A love poem based on a fictional narrative with the gorgeous, lush green mountain terrains of the Rockies in Boulder, Colorado as the backdrop.
"We tried opening the mat further and creating more room for ourselves, it was herculean, but we finally managed to make a little tent for ourselves, pulling down the ends with our hands and feet to prevent the carpet from flying away. ..." A chance encounter that becomes memorable. A short story.
A reflective poetic rumination about the strange, inexplicable ways in which nature manifests itself in the human world in the garb of an afternoon reverie.
A delightful, short personal essay about the endearing chemistry and camaraderie of a mother-daughter relationship portrayed with humor and razor-sharp wit.
A reflection of the human mind, its various foibles and epiphanies unfolded through the omnipresent voice of a mirror. An eye-opening fictional narrative.
A wistful, romantic poem depicting the essence and fervour of Jhulan festival in India during monsoon, a festival celebrating the divine love between Radha and Lord Krishna.
A beautiful spiritual poem by Girija P. Pathekkara about the fascinating and intriguing interrelation between Lord Krishna and his foster-mother Yashoda, translated in English by Vineetha Mekkoth.
A powerful poetic dedication to the unwavering spirit, the grit, determination and true power of womanhood.
This Father's Day Special Story by Ramendra Kumar unfolds the triumphs and glories of a father-and-son relationship in the most endearing and memorable way.
An endearing and hopeful fictional narrative about a girl's aspirations about her life and how she settles into an arranged marriage, albeit a happy one.
Beautiful nature poetry about the surreal, endearing beauty of the vines creeping up our walls, and the simple, unassuming, yet timeless truths they convey.
A wistful, romantic poem about the nostalgia, bittersweet memories of a girlhood replete with dreams, rain, sweet nothings, romance and freedom.
Two romantic poems on love's greatest mysteries and the human emotions that characterize them.
A poet's wistful appeal to retain the beauty of his childhood dreams, that he admits as his juvenile crime. A dreamy, romantic, emotional confession.
A gripping, tragic narrative poem about the sad plight of a village farmer and his unflinching devotion to his land. A haunting, riveting poem about the myriad sacrifices that they make in their lives for the sake of the land.
A seething, haunting poem about the recent earthquake disaster in Nepal that shook Mother Earth and her inhabitants profoundly.
A bittersweet poem reflecting on the quintessential sadness that overwhelms the spirit of humanity.
Two symbolic poems by Sheikha A. that reflect subtly on the turmoil and the helplessness of humanity in the face of volatile turbulence in Pakistan.
On the auspicious occasion of Mother's day, my humble dedication to the memory of my mother and all mothers who have loved their children, unconditionally, selflessly. This poem had originally been written in my blog 'Reflections, Ruminations, Illuminations' for the National Poetry Month in April, and here I am re-sharing it as a befitting tribute to the spirit of motherhood.
A beautiful story on the explorations and travails of the fireflies to get their own twinkle so that they can see where they are going in the dark.
On the auspicious day of the bard's birth anniversary celebrations, my humble homage to Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore and his mystical melodies.
A reflective musing on Mother Nature's beautiful abundance and the rhapsody of her music.
A refreshing romantic treat of a poem that speaks of the true essence and beauty of love.
The dream world and the real world become as tenuous as can be, the blurring insignificance of what is and what can be! Who cares?
It gives me great pleasure to unveil a beautiful collection of poetic works by our brilliant poets and contributors in our Poetry Special Edition of Learning and Creativity.
A sensuous, divine expression of romantic love, which is born out of a poetic collaboration between D. Russel Micnhimer and Nalini Priyadarshini.
Nature has always inspired me , and this poem was triggered as I rambled in the Bharatpur bird sanctuary , Rajasthan, inhaling the sights and sounds that the rich wilderness had to offer. The babblers, the snake birds, the Sarus cranes,the bulbuls, the parakeets ,the drongos and, the magpie robins- what a rich bonanza it had to offer!
The bountiful nature lies scattered all around us, we need to snatch a few moments from our harassed lives , and stand and stare at the wealth that nature brings to us. The squirrels foraging for food, the monkeys hurling themselves from trees,chattering away, the myriad birds , with their incredible flamboyance are indeed a sight for sore eyes , and a balm for drooping spirits. Whenever my spirits droop, I have only to dip into this treasure trove of memories, and lo and behold, my spirits are uplifted.
The Face Book group Poets/Artists Unplugged to which I belong puts up a prompt from time to time. Recently it put up a prompt-- 'Cry of a Book'. Being a lifelong lover of books and a pack rat with about a 7000 volume library, anything having to do with books immediately gets my attention. So I just started anthropomorphizing books and thinking of what might make them cry. I first addressed ones in my home, then ones still loose in the wild and those who meet worse fates than being in collections. Then I just let images and language kind of take me where they would to build the rest of the poem, concluding with how I wish I could solve the dilemma.
This poem was inspired by a NAPOWRIMO prompt in Rejected Stuff which is also its title. It is also an attempt to write a Dylanesque ballad, set in modern times. It deals objectively with two couples, a murder, adultery, love, marriage, faithfulness, cuckolding, betrayal, loyalty, exile and other themes in the form of an exciting story that resembles a fast paced thriller showing that life has changed and is now complex in its pyschological dimensions.
In this beautifully evocative poem, Dr. Sunil Sharma captures the true essence, beauty and universality of poetry, presenting a rich dedication to the art and rhetoric of poetry and to the poets who have tirelessly embraced this artistic form of expression and enriched humanity.
This is a collection of two poems, originally written in Nepali by celebrated poet Suman Pokhrel and translated in English by another literary great, Dr. Abhi Subedi. Both the poems depict the unflinching passion and the beautiful sense of pathos lurking in the lines.
This is a collection of two poems, originally written in Nepali by celebrated poet Suman Pokhrel and translated in English by another literary great, Dr. Abhi Subedi. Both the poems depict the unflinching passion and the beautiful sense of pathos lurking in the lines.
'Earthsick' is an attempt to find one's bearings in a large, bustling city Dubai where everyone goes unnoticed, their struggles remain anonymous and yet by being there in that point of time, they make up the city. A feeble protest against losing one's personal identity
while getting sucked into the anonymity of uprooted beings.
A love poem with classical elements/images from Greek mythology interspersed with the sensuous and sensual depiction of a woman’s body and persona, making this poem a luscious treat for the readers.
I wrote it for my daughter when she was seventeen. She was in her first year of University, reading English Literature, and talking to me about books, theory and writing. I told her about my feminist ‘icons’ Germaine Greer, Virginia Woolf and Alice Walker, to name a few, and she laughed and called me a femmonazi. The poem is a loving (I hope) encapsulation of our conversations in the kitchen and a time in our lives when she thought she was so grown-up and wise. Now she’s 30 and really wise :-)
The birth of a poem is an unconscious prosody of a wordsmith’s or poet's wonderland where his / her senses are stimulated. The poet’s self is rejuvenated with a profound, new ambience. In that divine moment, a poem sprouts, germinates, is born.
This poem was born out of my first few experiences in the ladies waiting room at hospitals. It is a practice in the middle east to have separate waiting rooms for women. The experience was a startling departure from my experiences in similar places in India. The women were very polite, they greeted everyone as they entered and left the room. But apart from that, I found no interaction- I was eager to strike up a conversation and learn more about their culture but I could never really get through. Yes, I did have a language barrier but I found that they hardly spoke with the others too. I noticed that the phones were in near silent mode and they sat their waiting (after they had met the doctor) for their male escort to call them to take them home.
All of these experiences find a place in the poem.
I wrote the poem, ‘miscarriage’, some twenty years after the loss of two babies in early pregnancy. The writing helped me understand why I felt under-supported on each occasion, and why my grief remained acute despite the time that had elapsed.
This poem is an attempt to reveal this shadow in my life. My hope is that it will resonate with other women who have experienced the silencing that too often accompanies the loss of a baby to miscarriage
This poem came to me quite spontaneously when I visited Kalimpong in November 2014. We were visiting a flower garden where we were greeted with a host of flowering North American cacti. They were being bred in an alien land. Images of a barren land, that people may have fought over, and the futility of it all just floated by me and I tried to capture them in my own modest way.
My father is a Doctor by profession, but a painter by passion. He has had 11 solo exhibition of paintings at the Academy of Fine arts, Kolkata and also several collaborated ones. This poem is dedicated to him, my hero, my idol, my faith, My BABA.
The poem was written from a childhood memory, when I used to watch him paint, I think I was about 10 years old at that time. Then one day I decided to ask him if I could paint too, that's when he said those lines in the poem. He has been an inspiration for me my entire life.
The poem is about a little girl named Nanceylla whom the narrator met in his sojourn to a hilly place. While the narrator was preparing to go out, the girl pleaded him to take her with him. They both went out and the narrator recalls how the girl on their way picked up little things like a cone of pine tree, etc; and how those little things filled her with wonder. The poem catches not only the beauty of innocence but also the wistful romantic idea of life. The tone of nostalgia found in the poem only enriches its simplicity. The description of natural beauty as emancipated in a serene environment thematically lends sublimity to the poem.
This poem is a dedication to the struggles of womanhood, and the social perceptions regarding the status of women in India.
Through the metaphor of a train journey, the author in this poem depicts the emotional odyssey of life itself in various different hues of revelations, temporal, spatial and universal.
In this poem, the poet depicts a sense of being in love, the kind of love which may not fill emptiness but certainly makes emptiness serene.
Having spent a decade of marital bliss, Aastha feels she can't help falling in love with her hubby again. Every little gesture of his still makes her heart skip a beat. She enjoys falling in love again and again with the man of her life. From being an amazing husband, Aastha feels her husband has made it to the mark of being the best father too. What more can a woman ask for? This is a poem dedicated to the love and interpersonal relationship between her husband and daughters.
The poem is a rumination about negative experiences and their aftereffects in our lives. Even after certain episodes in our lives blow over, their memories linger on for a lifetime and are perhaps more torturous than the actual incidents. The poem is a reflection of this dilemma regarding the impression left behind by the wounds and their scars.
A hopeful, intoxicating ballad encompassing a beautiful philosophy that we often disregard in our quest for tomorrow’s promises and their fulfilment: living and reveling in the many treasured gifts of today, the present moment.
'The Root' is one of my art pieces. We all have some hidden corners lying deep inside our hearts. Some of us are poor, some are rich, some live in the city, some belong close to the nature and so on. But we all are connected and are stitched in one single thread that leads us to one single path. Though we do not get to see each other on that path, yet we all share a vision. Sometimes we see it and sometimes the Vision sees us. This poem says a part of that vision and I will only be satisfied when you all will be able to visualize my vision-your visions-your roots.
