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7th December 2017

Prose & Verse – Tell us Story

Last month, Helen O’Grady International – India participated in Ithaka, 2017 to spread the opportunities of youth theatre across youth. We carried out various activities during the festival one of which was Verse & Prose, where the participant had to share a story with us! Among the few entries that we’ve received here is the winning story "Hamlet in the Land of the Dead" by Ashna Ranade.

"Hamlet in the Land of the Dead"

The hamlet is full of people.
They think it's not!
It’s not the bodies, but emotions
Please, do give it a thought!

P-E-O-P-L-E just a word
Made with 6 letters!
It's the cause of Everything!
How to explain it better?

They think and act rarely...
Either act or think- Frequent!
Nevertheless, just assume everything!
With a mind, very beloquent!

No, I am not for this land their "God"
I didn't give this much of a thought!
What came to my mind, I wrote
With letters, much alive, taking abode!

But no, I really do think so!
Exist: People don't, their egos do!
How often have you not remembered that person?
The person who speaks true!

Short tempered are recognized by anger
Noticed by their glares
Spoken to: Obtain Insults?
Pleaded to: For being just and fair?

Meek one's in turn
Don't want attention!
You speak to them, or don't (Your Wish)
They work, and at ease!

Egoistic one's though...
Would smack you in the face! (They don't care)
By their looks itself! I kid you not?
Never test what they can dare!

Here, in the land of the long dead,
The happy ones go unnoticed!
Just until they're missing!

Why must they be so happy?
Even I am done trying Guessing.

Sad ones are ignored
As they spread "Negativity" here and there. (They're dead already, but
apparently, that's not enough)
But none care to ask them what mighty sorrows they bear!

The one's taken for granted,
Are the ones most wanted!
(After they are gone)
We realize we could've pleased them,
With just a pinch of importance we could've shown!

As many dead, the emotions!
Yeah, there are a million ones!!
But treating all the dead fairly
Is the best thing the alive can do dearly!

Unlike the ones without emotions
Yes, there are people who don't have them at all!
Is it Because of us?
It is Because of us!
It is because of us, that they've gone afar!

Yes.
They're dead.

Beyond our arms reach

We don't know what they've had to say!
We drove them while they were trying to teach!

They were telling us to give up on our pride...
But we were "busy" walking our own stride...
They told us to take modesty,
While we were busy in dishonesty!

They told us to give,
They told us to share,
If only, If only, The Living
Had the time to care!

But we decided not to!
Come what may?
We were good for ourselves,
In return we would say!

Oh, but for this Land's sake,
The question is: "Were we?"


By Ashna Ranade

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