Adolescent Woes! ! Poem by Shakuntala Nallagatla

At play school, no play or fun,

No time to waste but to learn,

Alphabets and numbers in a jargon,

Triumphant to enter kindergarten!

Terrified of school in primary years,

Many a day spent only in tears,

Anxious parents, over enthusiastic teachers,

Disturbed sleep spent in nightmares.

Secondary years are not very different

Monotonous drag to the intermediate,

Marks and ranks can make you distinct,

The continuous rumble you hear day in and day out.

No fiction, even classics forbidden,

No Thomas hardy, no A.J.Cronin,

Enjoy extracts in your English lesson,

That is enough and don’t ever complain

Tucked away in the cellars of the brain-all creativity,

Immature ego-defenses make up the personality,

Passions driven away into oblivion,

On the threshold of a medical profession,

You are now a celebrity.

Careers are many to choose from, to rise and shine,

A builder, an actor or designer plain? !

No! listen to your elders, please your parents,

Rise up in your careers they have chosen,

Remain bowed down in obedience! ! ! !

o