PALLAVI VERMA - Mid term Assignment

 Write two poems that are triggered by news events within the last six months.   

1. Loose Woman

She entered silently
gazed all over
walked swaying
 her voluptuous body,
only becoming her fullest self
when she scours and scans
all the bylanes
and corners of the city
at different times of the day
or night.
She is the loose woman
whose freedom lies outside her kitchen chores
in the garden where non human figures live
She is the loose woman.
You can't catch her,
you can only see her in the nights.
In her masculine bold voice,
she calls out Gandhi, the loose man
Her aching soul wanting to hold ASIFA's hand
Her ephemeral movement lasting forever…

About the event: Maya Krishna Rao performed her solo piece "Loose Woman" in Odd Bird Theatre, Delhi on 14th September 2018.  She used cabaret to present satirical commentary on our current affairs. She had drawn from the flair and drama of Kathakali and employs a soundscape and recitation in this one-woman-variety show. In this piece, she takes on some thought-provoking and pertinent questions, peppered with humor.

2.

Static space and
the body moves
static body and
the time moves
A moment of silence
brings
a movement in silence.

 Is it the search of identity again?
or it's the search of hope again?
A tussle of binary
Classical or contemporary.
Or a fusion.
The cultural identity,
the nation's identity.

But the motion remains
and with it, the commotion remains.

Note: Last month I performed in PECDA. It's is open entry competition where judges look at work in progress of all entrants, over a span of two days and vet down the performances to the best. Performing and watching the variety of performances made me think more about the current scenario of contemporary dance in India.

Choose any two chapters from Art Spigelman's 'Maus' and write two poems based on your impressions from these chapters. 

1.  The ideal Kid

You haven't left us yet
your presence still intact
like a freshly baked memory
served to me every night.

Oh! I wish you were alive
I would have been spared all this while
from their daily rant
and whine.

Or I wish,

I myself was in that prison
never a question of comparison,
The ideal career, the ideal marriage
would have been no reason.

That blurry photograph hanging on that wall
of the ideal kid,
of the poor kid
Will that image ever fall?

Note:  This poem reflects Art's state of mind on being compared with his brother Richieu, who died when he was 5-6 years old. The impression comes from Maus part 2, Chapter 1, Mauschwitz, where there is a conversation happening between Art and Francoise in car. For Vladek, Richieu has been the ideal kid (though there is a narration quirk in Maus part 1, where Richieu has been shown like every other kid behaves).   

2.  I ain't Anja

Days to weeks to months
I stayed,
I listened to all your affronts
waiting to confront.
Then
The moment passed away
Some moments I paused
paused to know the cause
Some moments life withdraws.

The pain of loss is no less
on my end
But I ain't Anja
We were fine as friends
No pennies less,
No pennies more.

Note: Vladek and Mala never got along in their married life. Though it's majorly Vladek's complains we hear but the fire is on both sides. The impression comes from Maus part 1 of how Mala feels in this disturbed relationship with Vladek.  

 Create a visual narrative, using a combination of images (your sketches or photographs) and text, about your daily commute to the university. Choose encounters with spaces, people, modes of transport, things you hear, and actions you do to make this visual narrative. 

Most of my university time is spent in Khirki campus. It's almost 4.5 km away from the place I stay. People in my complex have found a shortcut to the metro station. It's narrow lane named Saidulajab which is stuck by pedestrian traffic. It's everyday hustle and commotion never stops. 

That's how it becomes during rain.

 There's a new service started which quickly delivers with no minimum order in the complex. These people are happy with the new profitable business.

The lane feeds dogs and even cows and adjusts space for them.

I enjoy this soda shop It's a summer treat. There are lots of Biryani shops. Its aroma makes up for the foul smelling dirty trenches.

People come with different alternative for the bas smell. 

 

 

  I take a metro ride of just one station to enjoy the changing advertisements and artworks.

                          
              

 Else, I like to walk and then take the sharing auto after some time.  I like to sit in front sometimes. I don't know why autowaala has to always call a guy in front to sit to make space for me to sit backside. I won't fall either.

 Amidst old broken buildings, there is our studio space.
                               


Just next to it is this chaiwaala where I sit often.

I particularly enjoy the rooftop.

Flowers here bloom and wither at the same time.