Home: Ritika Soni

The Delhiwallah Poetry Collective brings the Young Poets feature that publishes young poets including school and college students.

Photo Credit: Valentina Locatelli (@valentina_locatelli)/ Unsplash, Public Domain Dedication

Home

Ritika Soni

Some walls and barren land,

When put together

Make a house, plain and bland.

It's the beautiful souls,

That make the house a heaven

Who understand the words,

We haven't even spoken.

The comfort and peace,

Provided by our home,

It's nowhere to be found

May go to Paris or through Rome.

It doesn't matter if it's a bungalow,

Or a simple room

People who know how to be happy,

Will suffice, even under a leaking roof.

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Ritika Soni is a 16-year-old living in Gurugram. Her interests include Western music, fiction novels, and writing.

Babylon: Manini Priyan Olikara

Photo Credit: Sunyu (@sunyu)/ Unsplash, Public Domain Dedication

Babylon

Manini Priyan Olikara

I used to live in a great country.

Founded on ideals of non-violence

A place with one of the oldest histories in the world

A place I was proud to call home

But this great country has fallen

A tinderbox of injustice and inequality

There is no “We”

But Hindu vs Non-Hindu

Migrant worker or work from home

Virus affected

Or not.

A nation that has lost its moral center

Tyrannical despots in power

Who throw matchsticks

To light the same fire

Lit by the previous invaders

I say a prayer

And try to summon my own strength

Hoping my prayer

Will crack open the heavens

And rain of justice pours down

To return Babylon to its former glory.

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Manini Priyan Olikara discovered her love for writing while she was pursuing her second Masters from King's College, London. She works as a corporate HR business partner during the day and spends her nights writing poetry, science fiction, and fantasy. Her poems have been published in literary magazines like Spillwords and Literary Yard. Her first poem anthology Isolocation was published in August this year.

Home: Chandini Tauklee

The Delhiwallah Poetry Collective is proud to introduce the Young Poets feature that publishes young poets including school and college students.

Photo Credit: Scott Webb (@scottwebb)/ Unsplash, Public Domain Dedication

Home

Chandini Tauklee

A home is a happy place,

Where you feel safe and sound

It’s a place where your heart belongs.

A home is a familiar noise of fights and toys,

It’s the warmth you feel of love and joy

That one will ever need.

A home is where your family is,

And that’s what it will ever mean.

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Chandini Tauklee is a funny, talkative, and overthinking teen. She loves her family and friends, dogs, and feels happy when she writes.