Until We Meet Again
Be it in the beginning
Or now, when things are ending
I have always been there
Even when my heart was to bear
The pain of separation
And loss of concentration
Everything that made me tear
Was not the only thing to care.
To my heart’s decision I will abide
Even if things between us are one side
Even though, I yet believe
I know at the end I have to leave
This poem will remain incomplete
Until the next time we happen to meet.
-Nadia Afonso
UGCR 19
The first time she entered UGCR 19,
She was terrified to attend a lecture,
That wasn’t on her schedule.
She saw strange faces being made,
Of ‘Why is this girl here?’
She ignored them all,
And focussed only on one.
She embraced what was coming her way,
And chose a new path.
She thought it would be a new adventure,
And it indeed turned out to be.
Today, as she walked inside this classroom again,
Her brain flashed memories of 6th August 2022,
The day she started afresh as a poet.
She used to keep herself locked in a cage,
But now she knows to set herself free.
She made room for new beginnings,
This ‘she’ is none other than me,
And this is my story.
-Nadia Afonso
Today's World
Is it too hard for us to comprehend,
Do we actually need to put everything to an end,
In today’s world where insecurities are on a rise,
Why does humanity need to pay its price ?
Once upon a time, life was slow and serene,
But now it’s fast-paced, chaotic and keen.
The world has changed, progressed and evolved,
And we must adapt, or risk being left unsolved.
In the past, communication happened through letters written,
But now you don’t even find those dry roses hidden,
We said we love our folks infinite,
But we don’t even have the time to reunite?
We lost our battles even without a fight,
God knows where is all our human might.
Our plans get cancelled with the slightest change in weather,
Then how can we expect today’s world to be together.
-Nadia Afonso
Soul Sister
Like a ray of hope every morning,
Is your smile through the mask.
The shooting star of my life,
Who passes by in a speeding bus.
She acts like an anchor,
When I’m on the rough seas.
She never learnt to give up
And taught me the same.
She’s the best listener,
Who even hears the unsaid things.
A supporting character in other's stories
But a lead in my own
Of course we are a carbon copy
This world has ever known.
I won’t be afraid
When death comes to pull me apart
Cause I’ll live forever
In my soul sister’s heart.
-Nadia Afonso
Mental Health for All
Making mental health a global priority,
Is not an individual’s but everyone’s responsibility,
We need to take this message to every community,
By spreading the word collectively.
Everyone says mental health cases are very rare,
But do you think what one goes through is easy to bear?
There are many suicide cases registered everywhere,
But till date nobody bothers to care.
Make sure you are there for a person in need,
Try to do at least one good deed,
You never know when in their mind you plant a positive seed,
Remove the unwanted thoughts from their mind that act like a weed.
We never know when we help someone unintentionally,
We need to shower our love on them unconditionally,
We may do small things for them unknowingly,
But who knows when our effort can change the life completely?
-Nadia Afonso
I Die a New Death
I die a new death,
Every day in a new way.
Sometimes unexpected,
Sometimes predicted.
In the evening when the sky has an orange haze,
I remember our perfect old days,
When we sat under the sky,
And time just passed by.
Today, I have the galaxy above me,
But my universe has separated.
Even then I stand strong,
Hoping that nothing else goes wrong.
I’ll come to say nothing,
When things are falling apart,
But you’ll be having everything.
And then a new story will start,
And the old one has to end,
But even then I’ll be searching for you,
Amidst the gathered crowd.
-Nadia Afonso
Guru
We learn to walk because of our parents,
Who hold our hand with every step we take,
Till we finally walk without trembling.
But as we grow up,
We need someone to guide us,
Apart from our family and friends.
To get us out of the fear of crumbling,
Of not knowing what to choose and go ahead,
To where our path will lead us.
We find teachers, mentors and guides,
Who shape us to become what we are today.
They see potential in us when we see it as a blur.
Who share experiences that are yet untold to the world.
The hardships that got them so far in life,
The reality behind what seems ‘perfect.’
They become sculptors to the clay,
A coach to a player,
And a Guru to their student.
-Nadia Afonso
Exams
It’s not the feeling of butterflies in your stomach when you see your crush,
It’s a feeling as if there is an earthquake in the earth’s crust.
It’s the stress of doing your best,
With hours of sleepless nights without rest.
Finally when you get the question paper,
And see things which are familiar,
There’s a sudden stop in the adrenaline rush,
And the thought that you can write so much.
But this stress is not over yet,
It will come everyday till the exams end,
After every six months and every year,
There’s no way to escape this.
But this time it’s something different,
It’s not about escaping it but facing it,
It’s about getting over the fear of grades,
It’s about changing the terrified me.
-Nadia Afonso
Dear Younger Me
Dear younger me,
You have grown up so fast,
From chasing your dreams,
To seeing them turn into reality.
You have been weak at times,
Clueless of what to do next,
But trust me on one thing,
You never forgot to fight back.
You are different from others,
You are pretty, sharp and a silent person.
You have the ability to make people happy,
Even when you are sad from the inside.
The phrase ‘giving up’ will never exist in your dictionary,
And you will always love the game called pictionary.
Trying hard everytime is your motto,
And you look way beautiful than your photo.
People will try pulling you down when you do new things,
Don’t let that stop you from fluttering your wings.
Don’t get disappointed if things don’t go your way,
Just go with the flow and slay.
-Nadia Afonso
Cognition
It all started off with Ulric Neisser,
Father of cognitive psychology,
Capturing, processing, and making sense
Changing the blurry perception.
We have selective attention
When someone special is around,
And let our attention divide
When multitasking is the only ground.
Life can be easy,
Or made very difficult.
It all depends on the memory,
Of how much it can recall.
Our choices been altered,
Our decisions been changed.
Our reasoning influenced,
Our emotions playing it’s game.
-Nadia Afonso
A Blessing in Disguise
I’ve interacted with several people
But it’s just that I know,
I met a similar version of me.
Who knows to love and not hate,
Who loves to give and be kind,
Who understands your silences,
Who’s there besides you, even if not physically,
Who can conquer any battle,
With just a smile on her face.
In the middle of rough seas,
She’s the calm river I’ve wished to be around.
With her I feel euphoric,
And it’s not like I didn’t meet anyone before,
But my heart could only connect to her's.
She’s a true blessing in disguise,
A person whose inseparable.
-Nadia Afonso
Birthdays
It’s usually not my thing,
Cake, happy songs, smiles
I know in a split second I’ll be sad,
Every happy occasion is accompanied with something bad.
But I’ll change my opinion about it now,
Because of those unexpected surprises.
The best moments and hearty laughter
With the people who are mood lifters.
-Nadia Afonso
Losing Someone
Have you ever lost someone special?
Not because of death,
But because of not being in touch, intentionally.
They just tried to protect you,
But you neglected that.
You felt that ache in the heart,
When they suddenly disappeared,
No trace left behind.
You knew you were at fault,
But it’s too late for any action.
You know your chain of acts is stupid,
When you’re afraid to lose your loved ones.
-Nadia Afonso
11:11
When the clock strikes 11:11
A wish is being made,
By a hopeful soul.
Every day and night
Hoping for a positive tomorrow
That is met with no sorrow.
Perhaps she has no idea,
What today holds for her.
Without knowing,
What the next step could lead her to,
She fearlessly moves forward.
-Nadia Afonso
Amaryllis
Avatars threw her to darkness,
And this bad blood escaped,
To the fantasy again,
Where she spent time
with the bluebell,
And he changed her into a lilac
but when she returned,
She beamed the light and banished
black Dahlias with strong fragrance.
In the course of time
Foxglove was nowhere to be found
for avatars who now respect
the Amaryllis.
~ pradnya ~
The Boy Who Stayed Happy
A boy who always smiles,
talking to walls,
stumbling through lessons,
but never losing himself.
Ignored in crowded rooms,
a quiet presence, unnoticed.
They laugh, they whisper,
but his heart beats steady.
No guiding hand, no warm embrace.
He walks alone,
but his steps are light,
his spirit un-shaken.
They mock, they push,
waiting for him to fall.
But he holds joy like a secret,
a flame that never fades.
And now, they don’t know what to say.
Their words no longer reach him.
His happiness is his own,
and nothing can take it away.
The orphan, the dreamer,
the boy who stayed happy.
~Pradnya~
My Type of High
High, to me, is not an escape,
but a fire within— the rush of passion,
the joy of doing what sets my soul alight.
High is found in love,
not just giving it, but feeling it in return—
a love so pure, so steady,
the kind only a parent’s heart can hold.
Being high is true happiness,
the kind that fills every corner of your being,
so immense, so boundless,
it becomes the purpose of living.
To those who question my way of being high,
Keep searching until you find yours
Feel it, live it, make it your own.
Pradnya~
Once and Only
This life, is a fleeting flame,
No afterworld waits.
Heaven and hell aren’t beyond the skies,
They’re right here, seen through living eyes.
The pain and joy, the highs and lows,
The seeds we plant, the life we sow.
For the world is round, and what we do,
Will someday, somehow, come back to you.
No second chances, no life replayed,
What’s lost is lost, what’s made is made.
So fight the storms, endure the night,
And find your strength, your inner light.
There’s a force, a guiding stream,
Beyond our sight, beyond our dream.
Its form unknown, its name untold,
Yet it weaves this life, both bold and cold.
But this life is yours, it’s yours to live,
To take, to cherish, to love, to give.
Avoid the dark of deeds unkind,
For they’ll return in place and time.
Dance in the sun, laugh in the rain,
Let not this gift be wasted in vain.
No gods to seek, no fears to bind,
Just truth and joy, and a peaceful mind.
So live this life—your once, your all,
Stand up to rise, and never fall.
For heaven and hell, they’re here today
And once you leave, there’s no replay.
-Pradnya
A Perfect Listener
I wish I could tell you
How deeply you’ve hurt me,
Yet I can’t seem to distance myself—
We share the same roof, after all.
You say you're sorry, though you never mean it;
Your words vanish into darkness.
It’s a maze where I’m trapped;
Neither of us will change,
And I can never truly accept.
I tell myself I’m perfect,
Good at hiding my tears
Behind this sweetest smile,
But underneath, I’m breaking.
You claim this world isn't for the weak—
Weren't you fragile once?
Or were you born so strong?
I’ve been the perfect listener for so long,
Yet no one ever listens to me.
Fighting the same battle,
Night after night,
But soon, the strong version of me will rise.
Hoping that one day,
The whole world
Will finally hear
The voice of this perfect listener.
-Pradnya
Life's Forgotten Truth
In a world where hearts grow cold,
Trust is lost. souls are sold.
We forget what's true and kind,
The true meaning of life, forgotten.
What we come without, we leave without,
Chasing riches, which is lifeless.
Who stands by in a world so vast?
Just myself, from first to last.
Pradnya
Why Should I Care?
I'm an open book,
Flip to any page.
Read me, judge me—
As much as you may.
Yet you'll still find me still,
Unmoved by words, untouched by will.
Memories fade like fleeting air,
So tell me—why should I care?
Pradnya~
Silence
Silence used to feel heavy,
like a weight I couldn't carry.
It pressed into my thoughts,
leaving me restless and uncertain.
Now, it’s different —
a quiet place I can trust,
where thoughts breathe freely
without judgment or noise.
Outside, I shine—a social flame,
talking, laughing, moving endlessly.
This hush soars my spirit though.
That’s when the darkness calls gently,
whispering secrets only the night knows.
Pradnya~
Live Freely, be Happy
Live freely, don’t hold back,
Don’t care about what they lack.
Let them judge, let them stare,
They won’t remember, so why do you care?
You’ll be happy, light, and free,
Life will be easier—just wait and see.
Pradnya~
You Are the Cause
You know it deep inside,
That you are the cause, the reason why,
But are you truly confused,
Or just trying to convince yourself,
That you're not on the wrong side?
Pointing fingers to hide your guilt,
Blaming others for your own deeds,
Leaving them to question,
“Was it really me who caused this?”
Lost in the web of your own lies,
Are you escaping the truth,
Or just afraid to face it?
Pradnya~
Best Life
When you long for the world's best life,
Make sure to pause and see;
Yours isn't the real strife.
Look around, and you'll find the blessed view.
Many would wish for a life like yours,
Better than most you ever knew.
Blaming parents doesn't help, I say,
For it's upon you to make better
Turn to best one day.
- Pradnya
True Beauty
Do you really judge beauty by a face?
A face that changes, a face that fades?
The most beautiful one can be the ugliest inside.
Look deeper.
Peep inside the heart,
and you’ll see who they really are.
Beauty isn’t in the eyes,
it’s in the words that feel like home,
the energy that lifts you up,
the silence that doesn’t feel heavy.
When two souls exchange,
when your vibe becomes his,
and his becomes yours—
that’s real. That’s love.
Not what the world calls beauty.
Not the kind that disappears with time.
But the kind that stays,
the kind that doesn’t need to be seen,
only felt.
And it’s funny how most people never realize it.
-Pradnya
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