The poem Devilish Tree is an aspiration towards a discrimination-free world, a casteless society. The second poem, Exaggeration, is about the poet and her world. Here are Shalini’s two poems for Different Truths.

Devilish Tree

A Pomeranian and a Spaniel lived far away
Cute and furry, smart little pets they were
Abolishing the breed segregation, 
New little Cockeranians walked in 
A new breed evolved 
Three sweet personas we got to treasure
Cockeranians ask back in resentment
“Et tu Brute, we wanted a casteless world”
“Don’t brand us by our birth”, the puppies weep
Roots of the caste tree still resides
We keep adding more branches, very often 
Lets crack the roots of this devil tree
And lets free all lives from it
Will that happen? Or is it possible?
But I wish at least this can be done
Let we appreciate the goodness in each othe
And stop blaming each other, can’t we?

Exaggeration

Her eye sore,
running nose or the fever
couldn’t stop her pen
they were astonished
they gave up their menial
and started admiring her words
they knew she ignores them
but they still wished to stay with her
she scares them with medicines
they refuse to go away
In anger she stops her pen
Euphoric they run afar
her sleeping brain speaks then,
hey poetic fool, you took rest.

Picture design, Anumita Roy, Different Truths

Shalini Samuel

Shalini Samuel hails from Kanyakumari. She graduated in IT (2006) and did her Masters in Computer Science from Noorul Islam College of Engineering (2008), Kanyakumari. She started writing as a blogger and composed poems that was published in International journals and anthologies. She has ventured into fiction and essays too. She authored a poetry collection ‘Singing Soul’. Her passions include photography, gardening and cooking. She is eager to learn and cherish all kinds of writing.

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