Indispensable peace

Two nations at war

Showing off their might

To prove the other one wrong

And themselves to be right

Two nations at war

Oblivious to the cries

Of a widowed mother

Who’s only son dies

Two nations at war

Indifferent to the plea

Of a bride whose groom

Is called to fight the enemy

Two nations at war

Ignorant of the tears

Of an orphan child

Can victory rid him of his fears?

Two nations at war

Headless of the millions dying

Families getting dismembered

Kisfolk crying

Two nations at war

For reasons hard to comprehend

Masses can suffer tribulation

But their interests they must defend

Two nations at war

No matter which finds victory

Loser would be mankind

Defeated would be humanity

— Radhika Singh, Class 12, Vivek High School, Chandigarh.

Sparrows

Sparrows are friendly by nature.

They like to eat together

However, all sparrows are not polite.

There is one bully sparrow in the group,

Who is always trying to snatch another sparrows’ bread.

Then there is a greedy sparrow — the smallest

in the group

but she is always trying

her best to take the largest

piece of bread, alas in vain.

But all in all, these sparrows

are an entertaining lot

I am very fond of sparrows.

I love them.

They are such perfect fools,

to borrow Shakespeare’s idiom

But they are so sweet

and lovely birds.

Sparrows make me laugh.

They are like human beings,

— Nadiya, Class IX, Sacred Heart School, Chandigarh.