‘Recipe for love’: Poem by Ahana Chaudhary, Apeejay College of Fine Arts, Jalandhar

Love is in the air 

Love in despair

Love hard to repair

Love without a care

Love which you can’t share

Love, you find lacking and unfair 

Love you like to look from afar

Love started in an open bar

Love you can’t get out of, sticky as tar

Love shared with a dot of cinnabar

Love for me and you and the boy on the curb

Make a love potion with poison and herb 

Add a sprinkle of compassion and a touch of glee

Add some drama and some boiling hot tea

Add some spice and light the flame.

Don’t forget to simmer it in a li’l bit of blame

If you feel adventurous, then add some joy and ecstasy.

Always be sure to check the recipe.

After you finish, make another spare.

Cause you never know who it is your heart will declare

Not willing to forgive and forget is your choice.

But remember not to lose your voice

like Ariel when she came ashore, 

leaving her world; thinking it’s a bore.

Love is complex and not understood. 

All should compromise when they could.

  Back Down When You Should. 

And remember!

Do not stir the cauldron with a spoon of Elderwood!

Or else; the spell will reverse. 

The love potion will become a curse! 

The one you yearn for will hate you forever! 

So be cautious my friend or your bond will sever! 

Once broken bonds cannot recover. 

Better be decisive and seize your lover! 

I’ll wish you luck and hope this helps. 

And make sure to store this potion on the top shelves!