Teen Ache

Teen Ache is the maiden attempt of a teenager to share with the readers a few topics that fascinated her imagination. The poems in this collection are conspicuous because of the simple narrative style and the rhythmic effect they produce when recited. There is no artificiality in the selection of words or in the arrangement of lines. It is a natural flow of her own thoughts and feelings. There is clarity in thought and expression that will appeal to the readers. Her collection includes poems which deal with simple themes ,narrated in a humorous style. It captures the attention of all types of readers. Poems like 'Urge to Pee’ ,’Pain,Pads and Pallor..PERIODS Again’ and 'Pediculosis' belong to this category. These poems are highly enjoyable and show the readers, how poems can be written about ordinary, dull topics. ‘Where is Freedom' is a teenager's reluctance to accept the restrictions imposed by the society ,but the author painfully realizes that from cradle to grave she has to sacrifice her freedom. ‘What is Love??’ is a teenager’s own thoughts and confusions about love and her conclusion about it. ‘Jeans' is like an autobiography where the poet makes the jeans narrate its own story. ’Tears the Magical Liquid’ is a simple, humorous poem. The atrocities against women which shock the human conscience, too find a place in her poetry collection .’Nirbhaya ' which was based on a real incident unearths the apprehensions in the mind of every girl and also it is a tribute to Nirbhaya (the victim of the Delhi rape case) who fought bravely till her last breath. ’ A Tarnished Face, an Unscathed Soul’ shows the resilience of an Indian woman. 'Never Turn Back You Can't' narrates the pains and pleasures of growing up .It rakes up the nostalgic memories of childhood and the inability of the teenager to cope up with the problems of teenage. In ‘Botany and Me’ the author criticizes the dull way in which different types of plants are described in text books.It even creates in her mind a dislike for nature. ‘The mystery about God’ proves beyond doubt that God is our ultimate refuge when we experience troubles and turmoils in life. ‘The Little Devil in Me’ innocently reveals that a teenager can pretend to be extremely good and can impress others through her good behaviour but in her heart of hearts she is a little devil who is jealous and pretentious. ’The Escapist in Me’ brings to light the fact that teenage is a time when a person finds innumerable excuses for every slight difficulty in life. ‘What is One Minute to You?’ tells the readers how one minute can change the course of your life. ‘Say Cheese’ is a poem which deals with the predicament of all those who visit a studio. ‘Never Let Me Know It was You..’ reveals the tender feelings of a teenager, who cannot bear the insincerity of those whom she loves . ‘Advise to Somebody’s Child’ openly points out the hypocrisy of the adults ,when they give advise to somebody’s children. ‘Confessions of a Royal Bengal Tiger’ portrays the tiger’s despair in being caged by human beings and the animal’s anger giving way to sympathy when a helpless human being accidentally falls into his territory .This poem is based on a true incident which happened at a zoo in Delhi.In this poem the tiger justifies its act of killing the man. ‘Death won and so did I’ is a touching poem which is an indirect plea for mercy killing. Here the victim wishes to put an end to her life and eagerly awaits the arrival of death to save her from her meaningless existence. The readers also empathize with the author when they read ‘Pride Goes Before a Fall’. Wearing spectacles makes the teenager look like a grandma in a folklore. In brief ‘Teen Ache’ is the inchoate journey of the author who is a teenager, to a world where she encounters trivial day to day happenings and ordinary situations to many serious social issues and concerns which disturb her .The title of the book ‘Teen Ache’ itself gives an overview of the contents inside.