Nothing is so beautiful as Spring –
— Spring by Gerard Manley Hopkins
And spring is not far. There is so much hope, so much to look forward to that I am sure, Ms Sara will be bringing us a lovely collection this month too. I wish you all a colourful spring and a fabulous journey into Ms Sara’s world… (pssst… if you get the time, do look up the poem I have quoted by Hopkins). Now over to Ms Sara…
Thank you. Yes, it is a colourful spring that we look forward to. Let us begin with some writing on nature…
Essays
While we wait for spring, twelve-year-old Anoushka Chopra from Kolkata writes a small personification of the wind… which reminds of the beginning of Shakespeare’s Blow, Blow thou winter wind
‘A Strong, Loud Wind’
By Anoushka Chopra
The wind leaped across the sky, howling in anger. It lifted its powerful arms and destroyed everything that came in its path. The grey swirling wind gave a malevolent grin. It blew with great force and speed, like an angry person craving for revenge and smashed the glass windows and rattled the doors.
Then, gradually it slowed down, its speed dropped, its force seemed to vanish and within a few minutes the strong, damaging wind turned into a small breeze, smiling innocently as if it had done nothing more than blow gently around.
Thirteen-year-old Aanya Surana from Kolkata uses a letter writing (or epistolary) technique to write about the scarlet ibis, a bird that is as vibrant as spring in it’s colours.
The Scarlet Ibis
By Aanya Surana
42 Ribbon Street
Kolkata-700023
26th November, 2020
Dear Riya,
Its been a while since we have caught up with each other, I hope you’re doing well. I know we’ve lost touch ever since I moved to Brazil for my further studies, but I really miss you and would do anything to stay as attached and close as we were before.
The weather here is so beautiful as the autumn season is passing and the winter is setting in. During this time of year, we generally have expeditions. As a part of the science class activity, we went to a bird sanctuary. It was so beautiful.
I was in charge of a group of children from class six and we were led by an ornithologist. He was so experienced that he could identify the only check with their chirping noise. We saw a number of birds but across the lake there was a beautiful flock of vibrant, colourful, scarlet coloured birds which was were rare species known as scarlet ibis.
I was so mesmerized seeing the beautiful red bird that I could sit there forever and enjoy the calmness around her. Our ornithologist told a lot about that bird and I found it very interesting . He told us that the scarlet ibis is a sociable and gregarious bird, and very communally-minded regarding the search for food and the protection of the young. I thought that it would be a fun activity to feed the bird so the students and I asked our guide what it ate. He said that it had a varied diet and that it and it ate stuff like crabs frogs worms and insects. Hearing this, the students stepped back from feeding it because they were terribly scared of worms and insects themselves!
We went further inside the sanctuary and saw numerous and rare species of the bird. It was a trip to remember.
Give my greetings to uncle and aunt and I hope you like the pictures I have sent because I know you love nature and everything about it.
Hope to see you soon.
Your loving friend,
Radhika
Next, we move away from nature for a bit. Eight-year-old Nirav tells us what he thinks school uniforms are necessary — he believes it strongly!
All Students Should Wear School Uniforms
By Nirav
Uniforms are an excellent idea that can help school students be more disciplined. It is my belief that uniforms are a great way to maintain a level of social equality. Dress code eliminates competition and creates an equal environment.
If there is no uniform, children, who are rich, will wear branded clothes and children who are poor will wear regular and simple clothes. The poor children will feel left out because they will be different.
Without school uniform, students will spend more time on picking out clothes rather than doing work. School uniforms, thus, help maintain a school’s academic standards.
I belong to an Institution which is almost two hundred years old and I take great pride in wearing my uniform and it identifies me to an educational institute which is the finest in the country.
My winter uniform is the best as it makes me looks good and everybody calls me handsome.
Poetry
We start with a poem to Earth.
Six-year-old Mayuri Sriram speaks from her heart in this poem to save the Earth. May we all feel as passionate about saving nature.
Dear Mother Earth
By Mayuri Sriram
Dear mother Earth, You are our saviour, You are our best thing, We show respect to you. You are the planet with blue and green You are our mother Earth! I wish people would stop polluting you, What a graceful presence you are. I will save you!
Earth is really the best home we can imagine, isn’t it? We can breathe easily in its atmosphere. There is water to drink and so much of greenery and food. And we have developed so many lovely things … like music and the piano.
Twelve-year-old Asmita Ramalingam from Houston, Texas, has penned a beautiful poem expressing her gratitude to her piano.
I Am Grateful For My Piano
By Asmita Ramalingam
I am grateful for my piano -- The black and white checkered across, The cool, hard touch, The crisp sound. Music in my head is never lost. Sharing the delightful melody, With my teacher, Friends, Family, And the list does not soon end. My fingers move like a waterfall. As I flip the pages of my book, The tune draws me in, As if it’s a hook. “Music takes you to a magical place I say,” And I am grateful for my piano, Today and everyday.
We have another poem on what we all have been doing the past year — online learning. Eight-year-old Jhanvi Shah from Mumbai pens this relatable and funny poem about the perils of online learning.
Disconnected Teacher
By Jhanvi Shah
The teacher gets disconnected, From the meeting. The host does not let her in. The teacher says, “Hey… that’s cheating”! She gets disconnected, Again and again. Everyone is happy. Even bored little Ben. She has got bad network. “What’s the problem with that anyways? I’ll fix it all up,” The teacher says. So the next day she comes, With a computer brand new. She tells the students, “I’ve got to talk to you.” “Listen, listen students all, Corona will end anyways..." But there she gets disconnected, “Not again!”, the teacher says.
Stories
And what an interesting ouvre we have this month. We start by stepping out of this planet — towards a large, large universe…
Eleven-year-old Adwaith Menon from Chennai brings us a story with friendly aliens.
A Day With The Aliens
By Adwaith Menon
Hey guys! My name is Ray Jones and I am about to tell you a strange incident that happened to me.
Two years ago, I was sitting in my room studying for my exams. I was so preoccupied, I even refused my dinner.
After preparing for my exams, I went out to get some fresh air. I looked up at the dark night and said, “How beautiful!” I saw a streak of light in the sky and followed it. Suddenly, I felt myself beamed up into the sky. I fainted.
I woke up to the sound of a person yelling, “Species number 661 captain — they are called humans.”
When I opened my eyes, I saw that the speaker was an alien. Another alien being, with big bulging eyes, said: “Thank you Commander.”
He paused to look at me. “So, human…”
I interrupted him, “How do you know my language?” I asked.
“Who are you and where am I?” I screamed.
“Calm down my friend. My name is Twackey. We have a machine on board called the Languaphone which allows us to understand and speak other languages and are plugged in inside our ears. You are on board the Starlight V-7,” he said. Then he helped me stand up.
“Brrrrr”, my stomach started to growl. I hadn’t had my dinner and was hungry.
“Hungry, are you? Well, me too,” Twackey said with a smile.
He led me into a huge room and offered me food. I was happy and shocked at the same time to see that it wasn’t some alien food but something that I was used to eating.
“Our chef, Mr Rabuto, knows how to prepare all kinds of food that different species eat,” Twackey explained to me seeing my reaction.
After eating, he took me on a tour of the spaceship. He showed me a 5-D simulator, a theater for space shows, an in-built amusement park and a library. Seeing all the books in the library made me think of my home and I started feeling home-sick. Sensing me, Twackey said to me, “ Feeling homesick huh?”
“I am sorry but I have to go home now,” I said. He smiled at me affectionately. “I understand. Bye Ray!”, he said.
I bid him goodbye too.
Then, in a flash, I appeared on my bed. But…but…I thought. I didn’t go to bed, or did I? I looked up hoping it had all been real.
If you were a pet dog what would your life be like? Eight-year-old Mahit Verma from Kolkata believes he would be a loyal and courageous dog with a thirst for adventure.
My Life As A Pet Dog
By Mahit Verma
Hi everyone! I am a brown bulldog born in the woods and as soon as I turned a month old, I was transferred to a pet shop.
As luck would have it, I was bought by a small boy called Ronan. On his birthday, he bought me as a present for himself. Since I was a present, I was decorated with a stylish bow dog collar. Ronan picked me up and I licked him all over, being the affectionate dog that I am!
Ronan believed I was his best gift and I felt very proud about that. But I think he gave me the best gift – himself and my name ‘Bringo’.
Everyone loved me in the family, especially Ronan, who treated me like his own brother.
Sundays were much awaited as I went for longer walks near the river and got more dog treats and scrumptious food. The other days I used to get a drive in the car( but I like open air more and running in the garden )as I went to drop him to school.
Let me tell you all humans are not the same. Some boys used to come kick me and pull my tail at school. I too have my friends at the dog shelter where I am taken weekly and, boy, do we have a gala time!
All in all life was fantastic. But as they say with the good comes the evil. The date 25th September will be etched in my heart forever.
On that frightful dreaded night, the sky was overcast with dark and misty clouds. The wind was blowing hard. Nature was at its darkest best. We had stepped out for our evening walk along the river but my fright got the better of me and I jumped onto Ronan’s lap. And Ronan skid over the muddy surface. The next moment my Ronan was gone. The strong river current had sucked him in.
I yelped for help but not a single soul was around. I ran along the river bank but there was no sight of Ronan. The very thought I could lose him forever made me muster courage and, splash, I was in the middle of the river!
Fighting the current, swimming for miles and miles, braving the storm, I felt I had donned the Iron Man’s suit. At last my prayers was were answered when I saw Ronan holding onto a bushy shrub. I grabbed him by his leg and swam ashore.
Finally we were home. Everyone shrieked with relief and shed happy tears on seeing us. I was gifted a gold made collar for my bravery by the Rescue Academy.
Five years have passed since that day and we have opened a dog training institute where I flash my gold collar as a chief instructor.
And let us stay with our animal friends…Six-year-old Shanaya Singh from Kolkata saw something amazing while she was out playing in the garden. Do read to know what she saw!
A Happy Squirrel Family
By Shanya Singh
One fine morning, while I was playing in my garden, the weather was so good. The wind was blowing on the branches of the trees. I could hear birds jumping around me. Suddenly, I heard a husky barking around the tree branch.
On hearing the sound, one squirrel came and sat next to her father on the branch. Next, I heard both of them squeaking and calling ‘Kiki’. Then another squirrel came out of the hole. I heard similar chirping and I saw one more squirrel joining them on the branch. All of them squeaked and barked together.
Kati, a tiny squirrel came running and sat next to them. They all started to swing in the air and play happily. How loving and caring they were! I also named the father squirrel Kally.
It was a pleasure to see the beauty of nature. Did you know that animals and birds communicate with each other?
What a lovely drawing of the squirrel and her family. Thank you Shanya and all our good friends from Bookosmia. We look forward to the madness of March — let us dream of a colourful spring and a lovely year ahead. This is Ms Sara wishing you all adieu!
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