When Grammar Met Clarity

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Writing has always fascinated me. It’s such an interesting aspect of communication; you can pretty much convey anything you want, in any way you want. Even a grammatically incorrect sentence can carry its full meaning. Yet, somewhere along the way, we began mistaking good communication for intelligence. “Oh, he writes and speaks so well.  He must be smart.” Good communication can create a false sense of technical pride. I grew up believing that grammatical precision was the measure of knowledge. But in hindsight, that wasn’t entirely me; it was my teachers. They were absolutely particular that every sentence not only conveyed meaning, but also respected the sanctity of grammar. A misplaced article or preposition could invite the harshest of corrections. Yesterday, my wife and I were talking about writing and as all conversations these days eventually do, it veered toward our kids’ writing. We were laughing over Sahana’s recent schoolwork: a delightful mix of humor, dialogue, and im...
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She...

A beautiful sunny day in the offing,
How could I not enter the forests,
She tagged along with me slowly,
A comfort to have her with me

The days gradually progressed,
I found not a soul in sight,
It was a sojourn always tricky,
But there she was to keep me chirpy

Tough to find your way through
Creepy creepers all over you,
I could sense the trickles of blood,
She was there to keep me good

Berries and cherries in my belly,
Nothing else to gloat over fully,
She was the perfect cushion
For the rest of my meal

A moment of tiredness fell,
I pushed along heavily,
Again, I fell back to her,
She was there to fill the void

A long time later, I realised,
She was slowly leaving me,
The sick feeling was getting to me,
Now, it was just a matter of time

Finally, I was really alone,
I was feeling the heat,
It was the point of agony,
How I wish there was more water!

Comments

  1. AnonymousJuly 20, 2007 at 4:54 PM

    Water....this reminds of a line someone wrote when I was in school about floods--"Water water everywhere and not a drop to drink"

    ReplyDelete
  2. Praveen KrishnanJuly 20, 2007 at 8:42 PM

    Anonymous: True, any trek, and all I think about is water!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  3. david mcmahonJuly 21, 2007 at 6:34 AM

    A post that anyone and everyone can identify with.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Praveen KrishnanJuly 21, 2007 at 9:23 PM

    Thanks David :-)

    ReplyDelete
  5. PavanJuly 21, 2007 at 9:47 PM

    Interesting!
    That's a wonderful word. It leaves the reader thinking what he wants to hear. Yes, but surely something one can relate to :-) Water----more so after today for you anyway.....!

    ReplyDelete
  6. ShubhikaJuly 21, 2007 at 9:56 PM

    Excellent!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Praveen KrishnanJuly 21, 2007 at 9:58 PM

    Pavan: Water, water and water!!! Ooooooh man :-) Unforgettable :-)

    Shubhika: Thanks!!!

    ReplyDelete
  8. AnonymousJanuary 23, 2009 at 1:36 AM

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    ReplyDelete

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