On the piano
My heart was racing, like a drum so loud,
I stepped on stage, in front of the crowd.
The piano gleamed, my fingers shook a bit,
But I was ready, this was my big hit!
The lights were bright, the hall so wide,
I took a breath, pushed nerves aside.
Each note I played felt like a dream,
My music flowed, like a steady stream.
The crowd clapped loud, I felt so tall,
I did it! I answered music’s call.
My smile was big, my heart felt light,
Playing piano on stage felt just right!
— Kamakshi Kale, 12, Pune, Maharashtra
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When will we give peace a chance
I want peace not war,
It’s just a scar.
In the world’s brains…..
I don’t know when wisdom rains!
I just can’t imagine blood running from head to toe,
Even if it is of my enemy or foe.
Just imagine someone being shot in the head,
In the next second you see they are fallen dead!
Imagine someone being shot at point blank,
With no chance to defend themselves, not even a plank
All around you missiles and bombs….
All you see dead civilian tombs!
— Anu Pragna Posem, 11, Ballari, Karnataka
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The Berlin Wall
Cold stone divided East and West,
A wound where silent sorrow pressed.
For years it stood, a concrete line,
A cage of thought, of heart, of spine.
But whispers rose, then voices grew,
In candlelight, the courage flew.
With every chant, with every cry,
They shook the wall beneath the sky.
Then iron cracked, and fists rang true —
The wall gave way to something new.
Not brick, but hope, came tumbling down,
And freedom danced through shattered ground.
— Harshal S Raj, 12, Bengaluru, Karnataka
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My birth...
My significant event is my birth
The starting of my life on earth
Staring at day and crying at night
Made my childhood bright.
From dancing in the rain
To studying about loss and gain,
My transition from primary to high school
Was awesome and so cool.
My significant event is like a seed
That grew into a tall tree
Without any blame
It was just a small game.
— Leah Aby Abraham, 13, Bengaluru, Karnataka