Slam Poetry

‘SLAM POETRY’, was organized by Athena-The Literary Club of the Department of Languages on 24 August 2021 at 11 a.m. via MS Teams. Ms. Farheena Shareef, Third Year, B. Arch., and Mr. Abhinav Rajesh, Second Year, B.Sc. Food Technology hosted the event. The event was mainly for those who wanted to connect diversified souls through their rhythmic creations; in the form of an audio clip. The official poster for the event was released on 6 August, 2021 with 22 August 2021 given as the deadline for submission.

The event commenced with an invocation hymn by Ms. Jane Carolyn, Final Year, IT Cyber Security. The Welcome Address was delivered by Mr. Avinash Mallick, 3rd Year, CSE and the President of the Athena Literary Club. Ms. Sarah Sam Mathew, Second Year, B.Sc. Food Technology introduced the Chief GuestMs. Poornima Mohan, Ms. Poornima is an alumna of Batch 2021 of Travel and Tourism. She is the founder of Project Prodets, one of the top Poetry Collectives inChennai. She hasalso won multiple Certificates for Poetry and CreativeWriting. In her address, she highlighted the fact that poetry is raw and that it comes fromemotions and cannot be learned.The winners were declared by Dr.Sonu Joseph, Assistant Professor, Department ofLanguages and the Faculty Coordinator of Athena Literary Club. She also added thatthe magic of poetry becomes different altogether, when one gives words to thoughts,and when those words are propelled with a voice and expression; and it has onlybrought sheer joy to the listener.The winners recited their poems, leaving the audience wonder-struck!Ms. Poornima reviewed the poems and suggested that rhymes and emotions were important factors for slam poetry, and she wantedthe participants to concentrate on the same. The event concluded with the Vote of Thanks by Ms. Roshni Sattar, Second Year, B.Sc.Food Technology.

RESULTS:

Winner: Ms. Gayathri J, II Year, B.Tech. Aeronautical Engineering.
Topic:Lucid Blindness.

Runner Up: Ms. Aparajethaa K., II Year, B.Tech. Aerospace Engineering.
Topic:Things That I Find That I Seek.

Special Mention: Ms. Varsha Nair, II Year, B.A. English.
Topic:A Letter To My Fourteen Year Old Self.

WINNING ENTRIES

LUCID BLINDNESS

A girl in white, swam along the river
Trying to reach her concealed destination
Her musing filled with uncertainty
About the path she travelled, with no recognition.
Midst of her inner turmoil
She came across a bigger constraint
There she found the forceful coil
Of the river turned ocean, waves unrestrained.

Struggling to breathe, the cruel water pulled her in
Resenting the choice made by her, she tried to surface to the brim
But up came the root, conjured by her mind
Powered with loathing, chained her soul.

Her vision went dark, parallel to the night
Anxiety covered her whole, her visual sight
The time ran different, breaking apart
But all she wanted, was to be a better part.

Restless heart built a titanium wall
To save her from unforeseen fall
She gained new vigour - from darkness installed
Her dress changed black, all bloody and raw.

She rose from the water, no chain attached
In went a girl, out came a woman
Her purity unfound, emotion detached
She marched to the land, never taking what's given.

She brushed out the hate and ate up her anguish
Cruising on the ship, cruelty beneath her feet
Beware whatever may reach her
For she is not the girl once perceived.

THINGS THAT I FIND THAT I SEEK

Things make you blind
Light and shine
Either too bright
Or out of sight
So I seek
So I search
So I ponder
And try to find wonders
But many things do blind
The places I try to find

There are places to be found
To them are secrets bound
Be it open or hidden
They have gifts for all
So I run
So I chase
So I amaze
Warm feet
On cold gravel
As worldly feats
Unravel...

We all have a blindfold
Only once we take it off
Lies a platter of gifts in sight
All covered in gold
So I think
So I touch
So I look
For roses within thorns
Litter and Glitter
Everything is hidden
Sense of reality feels so lost

Reality at a questionable stake
Answers from sleep have no mistake
Things happen that are unreal
Epiphany given no one can steal
So I Dream
So I Fly
So I Dive
To the deepest thoughts
where subtle wars are fought
And so lay the pearl
Of everything I seek

Be it rubies or pearls
The world offers you a lot
From the chest of treasure
Take things within measure
So I choose
So I care
So I take
Only the those that won’t wear
Luxury just will tear
As the time goes only stays
Memories and Knowledge to keep

After years and years
All you will have
Memories to cherish
Gifts that won’t perish
So I tend
So I trust
So I gaurd
Everything that I own
If things tear I mend
Keep it all safe and sound
Untill my time’s unwound...

To
Think & Wonder
Seek & Chase
See & Feel
Question & Understand
Find & Keep
Cherish & Safeguard

A LETTER TO MY FOURTEENYEAROLD SELF

I grab a pen and paper
Grab a seat at my desk.
The title of this piece that I’m writing, you might ask
Labelled “A letter to my fourteen year old self.”
It says “Little me, understand that things only get harder,
And there are many people
Who will make you feel
Like you have no power.”
“But the ones whom we end up with,
Love us a million times more
Than the ones you’ve been crying over.”
“People will betray you,
Pain will get overwhelming,
It will feel like you’re living in hell.”
“The anger inside you
Almost killed you
But your tears replenished your health.”
“Your idea of becoming a singer
Will get stomped on by your friends
And you will want to scream”
“But fast forward 4 years,
You sang to the crowds
And their cheers gave birth to your dream”
“I know we didn’t have a father,
But our mother is our anchor,
So you cannot justleave.”
“But I’m thankful you chose to keep fighting
Cause if you didn’t
There wouldn't be a me”
“Oh how I wish you could see this,
You wouldn’t suffer if you read this,
You wouldn’t need reassurance from anybody else.”
“But in a way it’s good
Because I get to see,
That nobody can break my 14 year old self.”