Perennial Poetry

The Gone Days I think about my friends Who have gone on with their lives, We shared good times and set the best trends, Their reminiscence brings me profound smiles. How strange is life, That you have the best times with some people, Until one day they are no longer a part of your daily life, And the distance starts growing out like a ripple? Time and again I picture my friends’ faces, And recall the times of love and laughter; I grim at the ugly phases, Yet each of the ups and downs brought us closer together. It hurts not knowing when I’m gonna meet them again; Can I go back to those times which were simpler? Oh, is it a fair bargain? To choose those memories ’cause they make me feel lighter? I try to keep alive the connection, ’Cause each of them at different times was my saviour. Each one of them is worthy of celebration; In their own ways, they are recipients of my heart’s fervour. I miss them, and I wish our lives once again collide; Even if we meet at times or haven’t met since ...

Beyond the Noise Why do I listen to the world’s noise When I can be who I am? When I can have my own voice Without anyone telling me who I am. Whose judgements am I afraid of? What scars am I trying to prevent? When magic is what I am made of, And I no longer want to pretend. Why should I look a certain way To please anybody else? When I want to live every day  For myself, and not for anybody else. Why can’t I sometimes show my emotions  In their purest and rawest forms? Why am I always compelled to take precautions  To follow some superfluous societal norms? Who is my controller but me? Who is someone else to say That I cannot be completely me And live in my own beautiful way? No one can tell me it’s inessential  To do something I am authentic at. I will always harness my fullest potential, For I am the best in who I am and I know that. -Jaanvi Veluguleti

  Good Concoctions A beautiful summer morning, With tables fancily set outdoors; One can hear the birds calling, Even from the farthest of moors. Feeling the sun glow and sun-kissed, Amidst cherry blossoms having candy sticks, Placing down lovely baskets of fresh cookies, The girls chat and touch up their lipsticks. The pretty friends have gathered for a catch-up; With umbrellas dipped in their shakes, They’re laughing away and sipping them up, Whilst eating cherries and cupcakes. Amidst the green grass and the clear sky, Wearing sundresses and sunglasses, They capture moments in photographs, Binding miles of memories for a lifetime. The friends look at each other and smile, Wondering if they’ll ever get these seconds again; Threads of long-lost flashes appear, To each of them in their own ways. Everything looks so perfect in the daylight, They wish for time to stop at this very instant; All these good concoctions were much needed, ’Cause the pictures, the voices and the memories a...

  New Chapters As old chapters close And new ones spring, We lose some beautiful connections But gatekeep the genuine ones. All the lessons learnt,  We transform into a sweet elixir of wisdom. And the choices we make,  Change from the ones we’d make an era before. Tangles of threads being to uncoil, With internal battles being slowly won, And priorities that truly matter Begin to be held in the highest regard. New dreams and desires unfold, With unwavering hope in the heart. And the collectibles of lessons and blessings, Make you a more powerful ‘You’. To new chapters waiting to be unleashed, And more wiser ‘Yous’ looking back in the mirror, We bid goodbye to the old ones, Whose best parts will stay in our memories forever. -Jaanvi Veluguleti

Unwritten Pages  I try to refind the lost pieces of me, This mosaic of all broken things Is the raw, unfiltered me, Ready to fly with my wings. I will go to far places, Where the eyes can’t see; I will meet new faces, And share with them the magical me. Life awaits for me In the most precious of ways; All there is to life is to dwell in glee, Despite any circumstance I face. So tiny steps I take, Towards my dreams, And leave it to life to make them come true, By the most wondrous of means. The best is yet to come, Many pages yet to be written, What has happened is just some, There are more moments waiting for me to be smitten. -Jaanvi Veluguleti  

Life’s a Celebration  Life is a big canvas,  Waiting for you to splash colours. Continue to work and have faith regardless, And see life shower you with the prettiest of flowers. Life gets so much better, Once you let go of your worries. Your mind, body and spirit get so much fitter, When you make peace with all of your life’s stories. Life can get miraculously blessed, When you are good intentional; There would be no room for you to be stressed, And life would become much more special. Life is a one time experience, And it’s uniquely yours; Continue to extract its precious essence, And in times of despair, lean on the divine force. May we continue to believe In life’s magical ways of things; May we all have precious moments to relive, And may we strive to be the best of human beings. Life is about celebration, So in its grand scheme of things, May we continue to have revelations, And accept life in all the experiences that it brings. -Jaanvi Veluguleti  

 Hold a Hand We never know What someone must be feeling, Whether they’re in joy or in the deepest sorrow, For they could be celebrating, or they could be grieving. Our sole job is to be kind, Be empathetic, make them feel heard and seen; All they might need is a holding hand, To help them cross over the stream. Sometimes one doesn’t need advice, Just an assurance that it will be okay Can be more than wise, It could supportively uplift their day.  Try to be there for someone, Even if it’s for a few moments; For you could be their shining Sun, While they rearrange their broken fragments. Empathise with kith and kin, Be kind to a stranger, For you never know who you might be saving, Always take the chance to make someone’s day better. We, humans, are social beings, And hence, thrive on understanding and communication. So may we always have good intentions, And strive to make healthy and healing connections. -Jaanvi Veluguleti  

  Her When the whole world praises her beauty, Only she knows the stories behind her scars, The things she goes through quietly, And the days she feels like she’s put behind bars. Sometimes she fakes a smile, For the sake of her and everyone else; She is appreciated for her unprecedented style, But who cares about the things she never tells? She wears her heart on her sleeve, She undoubtedly is an admiration; But would anyone really believe The life she lives behind people’s perception? She cares and she loves, She offers endless support without hesitation; But she also cries and questions Her worthiness despite the external perfection. She knows her scars mark her stories, They make up who she is; Despite all her glories, There is always more to who she is. -Jaanvi Veluguleti

  Nature’s Power There’s calmness in nature’s quiet; The silence whispers volumes of wisdom. Once one starts to dwell in nature’s delight, One experiences unparalleled freedom. Nature’s stillness brings me comfort and peace; Just looking at the incomparable sight Turns my anxiety to ease, And reassures me that I will be alright. When the world pushes me towards exhaustion, Nature pulls me back to the greatest solace ever, And reminds me that slowing down is the golden key to creation; In that moment, I feel the greatest support ever. The serenity of nature, It contains every answer; Amidst our fast-paced culture, Nature’s stillness gives me the greatest power. Nature is my best healer, Nature is my greatest teacher, Nature will always be my strongest supporter, Nature will forever continue to be my most worthy inspirer. -Jaanvi Veluguleti

Sorrow And Strength What do I tell myself, When the thought alone makes me cry, When the place reminds me of it, The grief that was witnessed by the midnights? How do I console myself? What words do I say to myself? When I uncontrollably burst out into tears, But try to restrict them to the edges of my pillow? Grief, fuelled by rage Caused due to deep hurt, Causes an ache in my heart, And the loop reiterates all over again. My mind says fine, now you can let go, And for a moment I think I can keep it all together; Then suddenly the feeling of angst comes back, With tears sticking down my eyes, I sob helplessly. The aftermath of my sorrow is always prayer; I realise I can convey my feelings to the higher power, So I pray, I say every bit I want to say, And slowly, bit by bit, my grief starts to fade away. I am aware that there’s always prayer, But I need to bawl my eyes out, To let go of withheld emotions, And pour back in my cup of optimism. For your smallest or deepest grief, Remember...

  Lead Your Life ’Tis in your hands To make the best of life; Blessed is where you’ll stand, When you work hard and strive. It doesn’t matter if you fail, You just got to learn from it; In that way, for others, you leave a trail, While gaining wisdom from every bit of it. If you don’t know what to do, Just keep doing good things. Sometimes, that is good enough too, Your goodness will lead you to the great things. Pave way to your dreams Through faith and resilience; As tough as circumstances might sometimes seem, You must continue to stride with persistence.  Live your life as an example, Don’t worry about perfect outcomes; Life becomes more simple, When you accept it as it comes. Keep working, be humble and strive, Despite anything that crops up; One day your dream will come alive, And you will be grateful that you never gave up. -Jaanvi Veluguleti

  Embracing Change I tell myself it’s okay, I tell myself it’ll be alright, I try to quietly survive the day, Hoping I won’t cry again at night. Will the scary nights ever go away? Will my thoughts ever stop haunting me? They start with one and long they stay, Why are they still daunting me? I forget the days I was happy and free, When I fall back into the mental turmoil; Why do I feel so unlike me? Can I ever untangle out of this coil? I want to regain my peace, I want to obtain clarity, I want to feel again at ease, I want to fall back into my previous familiarity. But I do realise That change is the only thing constant, I hope my faith and patience will always suffice, To lead me to peace that is inherent. Maybe it’s okay to fall back sometimes, A thought or two of the past will always trigger; But I will come back to the present everytime, Because my life is wondrously and worthily bigger. -Jaanvi Veluguleti

Universe, My Friend You’ve shown me miracles Oh Universe, show me them again; It’s been so long since I’ve had a taste, My tastebuds long for your sweet love again. It feels like long lost connection, I wish to hold your hand again; Show me your purest self, I’ll keep remembering you’re always there for me, again and again. I’ve had chaotic experiences, But still the end of the loop has led me back to you; I will never leave your shelter, Because you are my biggest protector. They say when you look for something, You will find it; I’ve done that by seeking your love, And I have experienced it unconditionally from you before . You gave me answers when I asked for them, You blessed me in ways I never asked, You always showed me signs when I looked for them, You always protected me in ways I never fathomed. My life is truly a blessing, Because I get to realise more of myself everyday; By believing more and having faith, Even in the dust, I find specks of miracles. - Jaanvi Veluguleti

A Piece Of Peace 🕊️ What is peace? Is it something I crave when trapped in chaos? Is it just meant to tease Me that I can’t have it whenever I wish? My mind is a mess, How much ever I try to calm myself, It always comes back to haunt me nonetheless; My fears and doubts continue to haunt my self-built Self. You will know it, What it’s like and how it feels, Only when you are in it; From outside it just looks like another bunch of dramatic reels. From time to time I crave it, But peace is a mystery hidden; Will I ever become fit To deserve it, gold-laden? Is it just because I am unhappy, And I forget who I am, That I feel so crappy, Unable to realise at this moment who I really am? Come back peace, Come back to me, Come back from within me, please, Come back and set me free. I feel hollow and mundane, So please light the spark within me. I promise to spread it like sunshine, Hence, unlock the gates to peace, let me feel it and be. - Jaanvi Veluguleti

  Precious People💎 Treasure those people Who are gifted to you in life; Listen to the voice that is feeble, Whispering the words of the wise. God bless the beings Who are there for each other; Setting apart their life’s proceedings, They are present for another. God helps you through them In moments of despair; God makes you shine again ’cause of them, ’Cause they’re there and they always care. The ones who help us selflessly, Without asking for anything in return; The ones who reach out when we’re crying helplessly, Are the ones worth being valued a ton. In a world where genuineness is in dearth, It is comforting to see selfless people; They are unspoken gems on this earth, Always being there and helping us be stable. Lucky are those who have such people, cause they’re rare; I feel blessed to have mine in my life; The gems in my life know who they are, I am grateful for always having them by my side. They tell me when I go wrong, They always have the best intentions for me, They ...

Life Happens For You🍀 It was around the world tour And I came back to you, I found every piece of me Fit perfectly in the puzzle queue. All the mazes were God’s plan, All the turbulences were lessons in disguise; And I was put through all of it to realise, That I could emerge stronger and more wise. Every dark storm was a painful sight, But I endured each of them with all my might; Every step of my way, I didn’t know if I was doing it right, But I kept going anyway. My only driving force was faith, It still is, and it always will be; Giving me the strength to endure anything That life, with or without warning, throws at me.  After going through the whole ride, And rising like a Phoenix every time, Now I see with my clear eyes, Why everything happened as it did. Life is mysterious yet magical, Might feel difficult and strategical; But realise that you’re supported all the way through, And that the e nd of it all is a better you. - Jaanvi Veluguleti

  ❄️ Wintery Mornings❄️ The pleasantness of dawn invites me, Long walks in the early hours entice me, Wintery morning’s cool breeze, Makes me feel so light and free. When people haven’t woken up yet, Half the world is asleep; In perfect glory, the day is set; I’ve never felt a calmness so deep. The fog sets up a lovely scene, Causing a little shiver in me; With my mind in peace and the land around me green, Surely there’s no other place I’d rather be. Freshness of my neighbour’s lilies, The smell of moist mud under my feet, Strolling on the sand and stones of the streets, I feel nature’s embrace so deep and so sweet. As the sun’s first rays touch me, Warmth rushes into my body; As the blessings of the morning dawn upon me, I feel the amount of strength and wisdom I embody. There’s just something about wintery mornings, Experience for yourself and see; You’ll enjoy the most exhilarating of mornings, So come on, unlock your peace with this golden key. - Jaanvi Veluguleti

The Figuring Out I’m constantly learning, How to get going, All by myself, Without anyone’s help. I’m trying to figure out, Sometimes alone and other times by crying out loud, What to do in a circumstance, When I’m unable to predict the consequence. I try to pick myself up constantly, Put on a smile genuinely, Wear my heart back on my sleeve, Even though I want to give up and leave. Though it might look flawless from the outside, Only I know how lost I feel on the inside. I’m not perfect, I heartfully swear, ’Cause of that, I’m perfectly well-aware. It is tough, getting back up, When I do not know when what can come up, To weigh me down and crush me to the ground, Challenging me to help myself, with no one around. This learning and unlearning is continuous, At times, I am pushed to act spontaneous. But from all the broken glass pieces, I rise up like a mirrorball with a million faces. I will continue to figure out, Enjoy the process and be proud. This is my journey after all, I am only...

Scarring Ridicule This feeling of shame, Of feeling exposed and blamed, It haunts me, day and night, I no more know what’s wrong or right. I did it out of confidence, But they compared it to a reference, Saying, “This pictures you in this way, So fix this, ’cause you have no other way.” My feelings are not considered, I feel my freedom of expression hindered. They are making me paint myself differently, Did I give them power over me indefinitely? We are in the modern world, Empowering ourselves to be bold. And there is a way to communicate, Dragging someone down has never proved effective to date. Be intentional in making people feel loved, Even if you think their ways are flawed. Because you love them for who they are, Your ridicule of them should not cause a scar. They say time will heal anything, I say a loved one’s words are what truly bring The feeling of acceptance and comfort, And the knowledge that you will never judge them, no matter what. - Jaanvi Veluguleti