In this anthology of 21 poems, I, Shreyash Sharma, weave a net of middle-class millennial life, unraveling its hidden melodies and silent heartaches. The verses traverse dreams, duty, and the complexities of love and loneliness, encapsulating the bittersweet symphony of being an Indian millennial. From the relentless cycle of corporate life to the sweet nostalgia of simpler times, the poems unfurl tales of ambition, betrayal, and introspective journeys. They echo the often silent hum of societal, familial, and personal expectations. If writing is an expression of self, then this is me laid bare. This collection is not just a book; it's an intimate exploration of self, a chronicle of whispers from my abyss.
"Gift-wrapped Dreams: The Middle-Class Child's Inheritance"
Thrust into existence, I landed,
kicking and screaming, miraculously branded.
An infant, unknowing of god's grand scheme,
a blank canvas for the middle-class dream.
kicking and screaming, miraculously branded.
An infant, unknowing of god's grand scheme,
a blank canvas for the middle-class dream.
My cradle, a volcano of dreams, desires, and nightmares.
nursed by the glow of my mother's fire and father's heir.
nursed by the glow of my mother's fire and father's heir.
My inheritance, neatly displayed,
in books, in dreams, in prayers often prayed.
"Education," they said, "is your golden key,
the passport to a life of serendipity."
in books, in dreams, in prayers often prayed.
"Education," they said, "is your golden key,
the passport to a life of serendipity."
With a light pencil grasped in my tiny hand,
A bag so heavy, it felt like sinking sand,
My fate was sealed with an academic brand.
My playground, a canvas of equations and sums,
where victories were measured in grades, not suns.
A bag so heavy, it felt like sinking sand,
My fate was sealed with an academic brand.
My playground, a canvas of equations and sums,
where victories were measured in grades, not suns.
A vessel I became, of their unmet dreams,
sailing the turbulent, relentless streams.
Yet beneath their gaze, I yearned to be free,
torn between their world and the one inside of me.
sailing the turbulent, relentless streams.
Yet beneath their gaze, I yearned to be free,
torn between their world and the one inside of me.
Gift-wrapped dreams, a heavy crown,
testament of love, hope, and a parental frown.
In the dance of duty, I traced my path,
a middle-class child's complex aftermath.
testament of love, hope, and a parental frown.
In the dance of duty, I traced my path,
a middle-class child's complex aftermath.
Gift-wrapped dreams, my inheritance, my drive,
amidst it all, I strive to keep mine alive.
amidst it all, I strive to keep mine alive.
- shreyash
"Swipe Right for Life"
Click! Swipe! Slips!
My phone plants a kiss on my lips,
mid-scroll, Instagram's endless flips.
My phone plants a kiss on my lips,
mid-scroll, Instagram's endless flips.
Chasing. Likes. Comments. Shares.
Got a zit? Slap filter, Swipe right, who cares!
Got a zit? Slap filter, Swipe right, who cares!
Sharma's son, with a shiny new Benz,
Mehta's daughter, with her fancy new lens.
Next-door girl - yeah, she's insta famous,
Pic of her sandwich? A thousand-plus likes, are you kidding us?
Mehta's daughter, with her fancy new lens.
Next-door girl - yeah, she's insta famous,
Pic of her sandwich? A thousand-plus likes, are you kidding us?
Night owls we've become, faces glowing blue light,
No lenskart lens can save your eyes,
Swapping real dreams for those crafted in the digital night.
No lenskart lens can save your eyes,
Swapping real dreams for those crafted in the digital night.
Hey, remember laughter? No cameras rolling,
Just living the moment, not endlessly scrolling.
Online Politics - don't get me started,
Every keyboard warrior, opinions half-hearted.
Just living the moment, not endlessly scrolling.
Online Politics - don't get me started,
Every keyboard warrior, opinions half-hearted.
FOMO - the trendiest, chicest fear,
Instagram stories whispering, "buddy, you should be here."
Stuck at home, maggi for one,
While others soak up the apparently never-ending fun.
Instagram stories whispering, "buddy, you should be here."
Stuck at home, maggi for one,
While others soak up the apparently never-ending fun.
Oh, and why am I so ticked?
My sandwich gets zero likes, I'm peeved and pissed.
This is life, folks, our digital display,
Swipe right for more, or just...
Get.
Out.
Of.
The.
Way.
My sandwich gets zero likes, I'm peeved and pissed.
This is life, folks, our digital display,
Swipe right for more, or just...
Get.
Out.
Of.
The.
Way.
Shreyash Sharma spends his good days dancing between a code editor and a word document. An anxious IT guy by day, an insomniac book worm by night, and a penniless dreamer in the spaces in-between. Emerging from the high-pressure cooker of middle-class India, he navigates life's curveballs with a pencil in one hand, a camera in the other, and occasionally, a saucepan! In his debut book, Shreyash invites you to traverse the bridge between laughter and tears, a journey across the rich landscape of his experiences. After all, as they say, 'Life isn't just about weathering storms, it's also about learning to dance in the rain.'