It is May 2021. A little over a year since Covid hit us. Thousands have lost their lives, struggling for something as basic as oxygen. It is also a little over a year, George Floyd died, struggling for oxygen…. And I can’t help seeing the connection. This 2 min poem is my attempt to connect the twin horrors of racism and a rampant epidemic Many a man was hit by the virus,  Many a black was hurt in the US.  Poison spread like smokey wreath Many a man gasped, “I can’t breathe”! Here’s a story of a woman infected, Rushed to a hospital much affected  She was convinced, it was a sin,  For a black to administer vaccine! Refusing a hand that offered cure She went  in search of someone pure Poison spread like smokey wreath, Her family gasped, “We can’t breathe” ! The arc of justice can be long,  It takes a while to right a wrong, For the deadly virus there is cure But a bigoted heart is seldom never pure - Koushik Krishnan

Koushik Krishnan's Podcast

Human and virus

“The best laid schemes of mice and men often go awry”. This line from a Robert Burns poem, is one of the most popular quotes in the English language. In this poem, Burns describes a situation where he accidentally destroys the nest of a farm mouse while ploughing his land. He is greatly saddened by this act and feels repentant. He realizes the mouse had built the nest to survive the harsh winter. He then muses “the best laid schemes of mice and men often go awry”. The poem is rich with moral philosophy, metaphysics and contemplation.

To a mouse - Robert Burns

Bazaars of Hyderabad is a poem composed by Sarojini Naidu. She was one of the early Indian writers in the English language. She was an active member of the Indian freedom struggle. She was rightly called the “Nightingale of India because of voice and her lyrical poems. In this poem she captures the vibrance, color, sounds and sights of a bazaar in Hyderabad!

Bazaars of Hyderabad - a poem recital

Not all poems are sad or serious. They can be funny and nonsensical too! They could have animals come to life.

The Owl and the Pussycat - poem recited by Kanishk

Exactly 73 years ago, on 14th August 1947, two new nations were born. India and Pakistan. The cities of Delhi, Lahore and Bombay were abuzz with preparations on this momentous occasion. Leaders were readying speeches and people celebrated on the streets. But in the city of Calcutta, the air was heavy with dread. The community was on edge. It was the 1st anniversary of Direct -action-Day, one of the bloodiest communal clashes in the country which left more than 5,000 people dead. And this is where Mahatma Gandhi was to be found, cooling down tempers between Hindus and Muslims. When asked why he wasn’t at the ramparts of the red fort in Delhi, he responded with this verse from John Masefield. Not the ruler for me, but the ranker, the tramp of the road, The slave with the sack on his shoulders pricked on with the goad, The man with too weighty a burden, too weary a load. The sailor, the stoker of steamers, the man with the clout, The chantyman bent at the halliards putting a tune to the shout, The drowsy man at the wheel and the tired lookout. Others may sing of the wine and the wealth and the mirth, The portly presence of potentates goodly in girth; – Mine be the dirt and the dross, the dust and scum of the earth! Theirs be the music, the colour, the glory, the gold; Mine be a handful of ashes, a mouthful of mould. Of the maimed, of the halt and the blind in the rain and the cold – Of these shall my songs be fashioned, my tales be told.

Consecration on the birth of India.

Kavya interviews Koushik on what he thinks about poetry and it’s place in society. They cover form, nature, and the future of poetry. Koushik shares some tips on how to write poetry and his poetic journey.

Poetry - a discussion

The phrase “All the world’s a stage” and the monologue that follows about the seven ages of man is well known. They are from Shakespeare’s pastoral romance, “As you like it”. When you hear it, you’ll say, “Wow, Shakespeare puts it so well!”. He was indeed clever. But not original. “All the world’s a stage” was a concept that predated Shakespeare by a comfortable 1,700 years. It was first popularised by the Roman poet Juvenal. Since then many people have made the reference. In fact, Shakespeare himself used this allegory in his earlier play “Merchant of Venice”. Similarly, the different ages of man aren’t novel. Aristotle, the great Greek philosopher and scientist, spoke about it. Closer home, the four ages of man are described in the Indian vedas. So, should we think less of Shakespeare because he wasn’t original? Not really. His genius lay in attracting and holding the attention of a live audience with popular and pithy themes. He used devices like rhyme and personification to engage the audience. And that is why his works are still in currency, or at least they should be.

“All the worlds a stage!”.

Standing at the crossroads is both good and difficult. Life gives us a choice, but it forces us to stop, think and decide. We have all been there, haven’t we? What course of study should I pick, should I marry A, or do I love B more, vanilla or butterscotch? Even if it looks hazy, we try to see down one road for clues. We speak with people who made that choice before us and walked that road. We listen to our hearts. Of course, we can’t stand at the crossroads forever, so we pick one road over another and start walking. Tentative at first but growing in confidence. Are we happy with our choice? Or do we regret not taking the other road? You see it is easy to decide, tough not to regret the choice. Robert Frost, the celebrated American poet talked about the very same dilemma in his wonderful poem, “The road not taken”. The last para is most enigmatic. We don’t know if the poet is happy with his choice or not. It has been endlessly analysed and argued over the decades. Frost himself was bemused with all the attention it received. Be that as it may, I’d like to recite the poem for you, and let you think of the major crossroads in your life and what you feel about them now.

The Road not Taken - a narration

Emily Dickinson was an American poet of great repute. Her poems had abstract themes. She was influenced by Walt Whitman and Ralph Waldo Emerson. In this poem, she uses a bird as a metaphor for Hope. It is a lyrical ballad which is childlike in its...

Hope is the thing with feathers - a recital

In this podcast, Kavya explores the connection between marriage and money. Is it a coincidence that Marriage and money both begin with M? Is it only emotion or also economics ? Economic well being is one of the unseen effects of marriage. Combined...

The 2 minute economist - Matri-money

Kanishk narrates the popular Welsh poem - The miller of the Dee. It is about the simple yet content life that a miller leads by the River Dee. He sings the wonderful refrain, " I envy nobody, no, not I, Nobody envies me" !He is noticed by the local king...

The miller of the Dee

Welcome to this new segment on Blue Studio - The minute Economist. Get smart in three minutes.In the year 1946 Hungary experienced a situation of extreme price rise. The daily inflation rate was 200 %. Which meant that on Monday if a car cost 200...

The 2 minute economist - Inflation

Is there a perfect poem? Has anyone composed one that comes close to perfection? Ode to Autumn, by John Keats is widely regarded as the perfect short poem in the English language. The reason it is special is because while every other poet celebrates Spring, Keats sees beauty in Autumn. Through rich imagery and apt personification, he brings to life the sights and sounds of Autumn. In 3 stanzas of eleven lines each, he describes the progression of the season from the ripening of crops to harvest to the slow onset of winter. There is a latent sadness in the poem, maybe because it also signaled the end of Keats poetic career.

Ode to Autumn - a recital

Is there a perfect poem? Has anyone composed one that comes close to perfection?  Ode to Autumn, by John Keats is widely regarded as the perfect short poem in the English language. The reason it is special is because while every other poet celebrates...

This poem by Alfred Lord Tennyson is a firm favorite among children and adults alike. It narrates the journey of a brook from from its origin to the end where it joins a larger river. The poem has rhythm, movement and cadence which makes it beautiful to recite and hear. This poem has been chosen by scholars as being culturally important.

Song of the Brook - a recital

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Koushik Krishnan's Podcast

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