THE LANGUAGE OF STARK VIRDITY A COMPLIATION OF STORIES AND POEMS THAT FLOW FROM A YOUNG HEART

AYESHA MALIK

Copyright © Ayesha Malik All Rights Reserved. This book has been published with all efforts taken to make the material error-free after the consent of the author. However, the author and the publisher do not assume and hereby disclaim any liability to any party for any loss, damage, or disruption caused by errors or omissions, whether such errors or omissions result from negligence, accident, or any other cause. While every effort has been made to avoid any mistake or omission, this publication is being sold on the condition and understanding that neither the author nor the publishers or printers would be liable in any manner to any person by reason of any mistake or omission in this publication or for any action taken or omitted to be taken or advice rendered or accepted on the basis of this work. For any defect in printing or binding the publishers will be liable only to replace the defective copy by another copy of this work then available.

To my mom, Sheetal, whose spirit for adventure inspired me to try new hobbies, one of them being writing. To my dad, Anuj, who always believed in me.

Contents Preface

vii

Foreword

ix

POEMS 1. Vaccine: War Of The Jabless People

3

2. Scars

4

3. My First Journey Of Love

5

4. A Little Tree

7

5. Spring Has Come My Favourite Time Of The Year

8

6. Social Media: A Bane

9

7. Summer Vacation

10

8. Dream Keeper

11

9. Mountains

12

10. Free Rein

13

11. Depression

14

12. An Ode To My Mother On Her Birthday

15

13. Quarantine

16

14. Popcorn

17

15. Holocaust

18

16. Teacher's Day

19

17. Haikus

20

18. Lonely

21

19. Goodbye, Childhood

22

20. Insecurities

24

21. To Father On His 41st Birthday

25

●v●

Contents 22. The Phase

26

23. Stallion

27

24. Waves

28

SHORT STORIES 25. Ayesha And Maggie: Always And Forever

31

26. Escaping Cordolium

39

Acknowledgements

43

● vi ●

Preface I want to keep this section as candid as possible because by nature I am a very frank fourteen-year-old girl living in Delhi, India. I cannot say that the idea of this book was in me when I was just a child...well I mean I am still a child, but you know what I mean, right? My journey began when I first authored a poem and realized how enjoyable and utterly fascinating it was. After that writing almost became habitual for me. It was as if my mind never slept. My mind’s insistent whispers are what has led to this book. I always had so much to talk about and not always had the right medium to say it. First, I decided to use different mediums of expression such as theatre and art but somehow everything seemed so influenced by other factors such as society and politics. But, when I wrote only I could influence my writings and my thoughts and that is why I became so personally connected to writing. My decision to publish on my own also reflects my need for this book to be entirely uninfluenced by any external sources except my own. I hope this book serves its purpose of inspiring many other young ones like me to write and be convinced that nothing is impossible.

● vii ●

Foreword This is the first time I am writing a foreword to anything in my life so please excuse me! The title of this book ‘The Language of Stark Viridity’ signifies the fact that every single word in this book is truly innocent and stark because all these poems were written when I was unaware of world works or anything related to politics. It was written during a time when my family and my happiness were the most important things in the world to me because you can’t expect an eleven-year-old to worry about anything else except what she is getting for breakfast. That is why every single word in this book has been written in the language of stark viridity. This book resonates with my heartbeat because my thoughts were converted to words that have been taken straight from inside my soul and onto paper. This close connection between me and the poems I write helps me explain them the best and that is why I chose to publish this book on my own. This book has been my dream since I first started writing my poems. All these stories and poems have a story behind them. I will not bore you by telling them all but every poem, every story is a process of hard work, ideas, and love from close ones. My poems capture the emotions of an emerging teenager during the times of Covid-19. I remember being very young and sitting in my bed dreaming and admiring how talented an art it must be to write. My mother encouraged me to read more and that further inspired me to write. I never shared my poems with anyone till the time ● ix ●

FOREWORD

I felt they were good and that is why the fact that I can write all of this here tells me that I am finally overcoming my insecurities and I hope I help others do so too. The short story ‘Ayesha and Maggie’ tells the story of me and my dog Maggie who passed away two years ago. That is one of the major reasons why I ever started writing because earlier I spent all my time talking to her but then suddenly, I found all these thoughts inside my head and no one to tell them to. That’s how I began to express my feelings through writing. I would like to thank Notion Press for allowing me to voice my opinions. I wish that this book inspires other young people to write as well and be free to express their feelings. Thank You Ayesha Malik

●x●

POEMS

I Vaccine: War Of The Jabless People Websites crashing, Amid groans Of people whose lives are flashing. Oh! The rat race To secure a vaccine slot To keep up with the world’s pace How can I stay calm? A young fourteen-year-old girl Whose life is slowly losing its charm. The million times my father clicked On the vaccine website When suddenly our luck clicked! And the heavenly shot Was booked for tomorrow My dad emerging as the brave warrior who fought In VACCINE: WAR OF THE JABLESS PEOPLE

●3●

II Scars Representations of hard times gone by Wounds to which we can never truly say goodbye Reminders of painful moments etched in memory Symbols of our tainted history Scars, Scars, and more Scars Scars encompass our entire body and soul Scars of our past Scars of our present Scars pain, and so do you Scars bleed, and so do you Scars mean something, and so do you Scars have a story, and so do you But most of all, Scars heal, and so do you. Trace your fingers through mine Written in the stars as the time we align. You are a broken angel I have met on earth Come heal with me as we await a rebirth.

●4●

III My First Journey Of Love I’ve had crushes before, But never were they quite so intense. I’ve felt attracted to people before, But never was the longing so immense. But that one evening it all changed When I first laid my eyes on him And all my leisurely attention he had engaged On the sheer perfectness of his face And I was lost in my enchanting reveries of him For Cupid’s Arrow had pierced my heart, And I was afar in a passionate whim. Ay me! Then there was just no stopping it! My heart was caught in a sweet-smelling breeze Which swept me into my paracosm where everything was like a love skit With the script of my dreams. And it was in this magical land Where no moment was left bland ●5●