Dear Patti, it has been three years
Since you left us
A lot of things have happened
Many more have changed
Yet, never can I forget you at all
Always, did you stand tall
As the head of our family
Under you, were we all happy
You were the kindest family member
Your sheer compassion, will I forever remember
My friends were your friends
No relationship with you ever had an end
Really, were you the height of altruism
Through you, did God speak humanism
You have appeared, in countless dreams of mine
When you were alive, never did I feel alone
At times, when all hope seemed lost
You reminded me of my best
Thus, did I develop resilience
Very well, could you understand my silences
Throughout my life, were you with me
The good me as well as the bad me
Your goodness had absolutely no limits
Yet, rarely did you sugarcoat things
Every time, did you speak your mind
And let me know what I had to amend
In order to become a better human being
To you, could one go on listening
And learn a lot about the world
In spirit, never were you old
Tremendous courage, strength and determination
Provided you the ammunition
To go on working, in spite of your numerous health issues
Now, badly do I need a box of tissues
Let me say it once more
Never can I forget you at all, Dear Patti
Rest, not in peace, but in power!

You are an amazing writer
And one hell of a character
I love the way you think
In your armour, are there no chinks
Precisely do you know how to attract readers
In your world, there ain't no order!
Thou art the mistress of chaos
To your writings, if people are averse
Then it is their loss
Because you are an absolute diamond
And for you, never does learning end!!

You are an amazing writer
And a stellar storyteller
You always call a ***** a *****
By rules, you do not abide
When you are angry
We all are angry
Because we cannot stand injustice
And you yourself are Lady Justice!!

You are an amazing writer
Sure, you do have your share of haters
But that only serves to underscore the sheer impact you produce
Truly, art thou a natural force!!
Smashing the Brahminical patriarchy looks not impossible
Only because your spirit is unbreakable!!

You are an amazing writer
And an even better reciter
Your poetry is simply revolutionary
And though your critics are often reactionary
You simply let your keyboard do the talking
Thus reducing them to effectively nothing!!

You are an amazing writer
And we are your debtors
Because, you are one of those fearless critics
Whom the government always tries to silence
But you brave storm after storm
In order to try and ensure justice for the downtrodden
You are the oasis that represents hope
In a desert full of despair

You are an amazing writer
Who doesn't give two hoots about her detractors
You are the true face of intersectional feminism
In a land full of Savarna feminism
Which is as fake as Israeli democracy
Thanks to you, gender equality is not a mere fantasy!!
Most important of all, though
Is your anti-caste activism
In the never-ending battle against casteism
You are one of the fiercest warriors
May you eventually succeed in breaking all the barriers
Which stand between you and annihilation of caste!!
Jai Bhim!! Vaazhga Periyar!!

There is no one in this world
Who matters to me more than you
The lone exception being Jesus Christ
Were you to be put through any test
No matter how rigorous or torturous
I have no doubt you would emerge victorious
This is not to say you would find everything easy
After all, in life, is nothing ever easy
However, you have faced the worst
And emerged among the best
So many people hate you to the core
However, none of them do you fear
Never, will you be silenced
My heart, have you stolen
And I am sure I am not alone
You have as many ardent admirers
As you have fierce adversaries
Thanks to you, am I able to find the courage
To break free from my cage
Which is full of numerous anxieties and insecurities
And make my way towards finally finding inner peace
Nobody has made such an impact on me
As you have done
Thanks to you, can I smile through my pain
Because, no one dares the way you do
Not a lot of things, do you rue
Because, you are thoroughly independent
And at the same time, not hellbent
On doing anything with blind faith
Well, here's wishing you loads of happiness, peace and good health
And as always, may you be blessed by the Lord!!

We have been in this relationship
For more than six years
For the first three years
You served me really well
Whether it be the network connectivity
Or the quality of calls
Or the mobile data
But since then, things have gone south
The calls started dropping
There were plenty of times
When I could hear the other person
But s/he could not hear me
And vice-versa
There were also plenty of times
When the other person's voice was muffled
Or worse, distorted
And finally, the mobile data was slower than a snail
Thanks to your disappointing service
My work was badly affected
And I lost a few candidates
But still I gave you a chance
As per your suggestion
I changed my Sim Card
And for a few months
It was smooth sailing
I thought we were on the right track
Alas, how wrong I was!
Every time there was an issue
You came up with all sorts of excuses
For instance, geographical reasons
And network settings
And whatnot!
Then the pandemic struck
Leaving you short-staffed
And your service suffered accordingly
So, I decided to wait
Until normalcy was restored
Thus, I gave you another chance
Unfortunately, as always
You failed to take it
And for the first time
You showed some attitude
This was really the last straw
And I have decided
That I have given you enough chances
And it is only a matter of time
Before I am finally done with you

These are tough times
As far as Recruitment is concerned
Of course, Recruitment is never easy
Especially when you work in a startup
But a year like 2022
With backout after backout
And consequently rework after rework
Really takes the biscuit
Here I am
Without a single closure
In the last ten frigging months
And thus having my confidence shredded to pieces
One would think
That I badly need a break
In order to recharge my batteries
You, on the other hand
Decided to add to the burden
By assigning me, not one
But three extra mandates
Mandates that are not only difficult
But also rather time-consuming
And require dealing with a client
That has tested our patience
On multiple occasions
And on top of that
I have to come to office as well
Of course, it is all smooth sailing
As far as the onward commute is concerned
Thanks to the ever reliable AC local
The return, however, is a different ballgame altogether
Because you always make me late
Thus, I never manage to catch the AC local
And by the time I reach home
I end up hating you to the core
You are lucky magic doesn't exist
Because if it did
You would have been dead a long time ago
I would have seen to that
Anyway, coming back to reality
I have always been tolerant
But, as my grandfather would say
There is a limit to everything
And if you are expecting me to work on Saturdays as well
You are exceeding that limit
And then I will have no choice
But to leave, once and for all
As I've already mentioned
I have always been tolerant
However, my tolerance now runs thin

Am I a human being?
Or am I a robot?
You assigned me five mandates
Three of which, are more difficult
Than even clearing the IIT-JEE
And even the remaining two
Pose a considerable challenge
Though far from insurmountable
Nevertheless, what makes you think
That I have the capability
The skills
And the stamina
To successfully pull off such a mammoth task?

Am I a human being?
Or am I a robot?
You expect quality
You expect speed
And you expect numbers
At the same time
Is this not like having the cake
And eating it too?

Am I a human being?
Or am I a robot?
I am working on five mandates
And racing against time
Every single day
In order to send a couple of resumes
For each mandate
No matter how hard I try
I always end up falling behind
That too by a mile
What makes you think
That I can successfully handle even three mandates
Let alone five?
Let me ask you again
Am I a human being?
Or am I a robot?

You are a very precious friend
Whom I would always defend
No matter what
Of course, you know that
Always, do you understand me
Even better than I understand myself!

You are a very precious friend
By nature, are you quite kind
Very helpful and trustworthy
Always, do you make people happy
Very sincere and hardworking
And last but not the least
Quite sweet and caring!!

You are a very precious friend
Of whom, am I very fond
You were even a fantastic colleague
So proud was I, to be part of your league
Going to office together
And returning together
Absolutely nothing can beat those days
Because we managed to keep stress at bay
Of course, there were a lot of issues
However, our friendship ultimately saved the day
You in particular, showed the way
With your fierce determination and indomitable spirit
From no one, did you take any ****!!

You are a very precious friend
With an extremely shrewd mind
Twice, have you saved me from a crisis
Always do you happen to know, what goes amiss
Your family is my family
And my family is your family
Our relationship is proof
That blood need not always be thicker than water
And for you, deeply do I care
May the Lord bless you
With loads of love, happiness, peace and prosperity!!

Blood is in our hands
For decades and decades
We have watched
Without batting an eyelid
Without turning a hair
Without raising a finger
Without opening our mouth
Countless crimes against humanity
In the name of national integrity

Blood is in our hands
In the name of love for our country
We have brainwashed a billion souls
Through myriad means of propaganda
Into believing a monstrous lie
That Kashmir is an integral part of India

Blood is in our hands
In our sheer lust for power
We have terrorized an entire community
Robbed them of their livelihood
And shattered their peace and harmony
After forcibly occupying their land
All in the name of national integrity

Blood is in our hands
After all these decades of violence
The only thing that truly matters to us
Is not the lives of the Kashmiris
Not even the lives of our armed forces
But the international image of our country

After hours and hours
Days and days
Weeks and weeks
And months and months
Of sheer hard work
You would have hoped
To achieve at least one closure
In a year
That has been disappointing at best
And abysmal at worst
With backouts becoming as common
As India beating Pakistan in a Cricket World Cup
However, Lady Luck disappoints you
For the third time in a row
As the sheer miserliness of your client
Pushes your candidate away
And it is ultimately you
Who ends up being the loser
But that's not the worst part
The worst part is
Having to start all over again
With a rather limited pool of candidates
Still, it is not in your nature to give up
Especially after having come this far
So, you make a concerted effort
To find fresh candidates
And after a lot of searching
Followed by a lot of calling
You finally land a good candidate
But the client rejects him in a flash
Undeterred, you continue searching
However, the already limited pool of candidates
Starts shrinking rapidly
And just when you're about to lose hope
You manage to find a decent profile
However, the client rejects this as well
Quicker than the speed of light
And with every rejection
Your confidence dips
Slowly but surely
Until you can stand it no longer
And scream at the top of your voice
"Investment Banking Hiring Is Not For Me!"

Thou art my chief source of motivation
Because, never do you show caution
Always, do you speak your mind
To your fire, is there no end
Seriously, are your poems so powerful
That they inspire us to fight
Against the Indian State's sheer might
Your personality is beautiful
Though your writing is fiery
I know you wouldn't hurt a fly
Because, all you want, is social justice
Even if it involves a huge sacrifice!

Thou art my chief source of motivation
And propel me towards action
Whenever I am feeling low
Never are your thoughts shallow
You are a raging feminist
And a compassionate socialist
As well as one of the leaders
In the fight against casteism
Not to mention, an extremely versatile writer
Who blends gender and caste
Romance and escapism
Peace and war
Religion and mass ******
Truly endless, is the list
But we get the gist!!

Thou art my chief source of motivation
Because, whenever you speak
My ears dance with anticipation
And the future suddenly seems less bleak
Always, do you make an impact
In fact, can you even act!!
Of course, suffered have you, a lot
However, you give up not
And most importantly, remind us
To keep doing the right thing always
Even if it ends up killing us!!

Thou art my chief source of motivation
Because you simply have not, any inhibition
You speak what we don't want to hear
And do what most of us fear
Sometimes, are you truly scary
But of course, in a good way!!
So much have you done, for your community
And that too, without any immunity
As can be seen by the sheer amount of hate you've often received
Simply for speaking the truth!!
I must say, hats off to your unwavering faith
You've made all of us proud
May the Lord bless you
With all the love, success, happiness, peace and prosperity in the world!!
Jai Bhim!! Vaazhga Periyar!!

Are you a human being?
Or are you an agent of Satan?
Do you value human life?
Or do you consider it disposable?
Do you understand love?
Do you understand kindness?
Do you understand empathy?
If not, are you fit to run a company?
Are you fit to be a boss?
Are you fit to be an HR?
Are you fit to work at all?

You have been blinded
By your fanatical zeal for results
By your overpowering greed for money
By your insatiable lust for power
For you, employees are robots
Tailor-made for your animalistic needs
Which cannot be satisfied
By any sane human being
For the sake of your whims and fancies
Which change at the speed of light
Several innocent lives are being ruined
Today, it is the employees who are doomed
Tomorrow, it could be your husband
The day after, it may even be your daughter
And this vicious cycle will go on and on
With no end in sight
Therefore, for the sake of humanity
It is only just
That you are banished from Earth
Down to the all-consuming darkness of Hell
Where you will rot, for eternity
And the world shall be happier for it

You, I will forget never
Because, are you my friend forever
Of course, we are colleagues still
And as a teammate, are you absolutely swell
Very dedicated and a go-getter
Indeed, few can do better
Also, are you newly married
But to me, will you always be a friend
The Tamanna I know remains the same
Often, does she make me beam!

You, I will forget never
In your blood is it, to bring a lot of cheer
Whenever you are around
We share a delightful bond
I am going to miss your breakfast treats
As well as the late-night parties
Really, have we had some amazing times
Rarely, does your bell fail to chime!!

You, I will forget never
Seldom, do you put on airs
Humble and down-to-earth, to the last degree
Often, do you end up filling us with glee
Seriously, Riddham could not have asked for a better spouse
Truly, are you the goods!!

You, I will forget never
Your wedding was easily the highlight of the year
The best I have attended
As a host, were you too good
And your family was so gracious
I felt I had finally achieved inner peace!!

You, I will forget never
To me, will you forever remain dear
So, enjoy your married life
Keep Riddham and yourself free of strife
Take care and keep smiling
And May Jesus shower you with many a blessing!!

Dear Shruti, wish you a very Happy New Year
On your side will I be, forever
God could not have given me a better friend
You are so very kind
Though strict at times
All in all, however, always do I enjoy our chats!

Dear Shruti, wish you a very Happy New Year
Often, can I be a bore
However, deeply do I care for you always
Many a time, do you help me find inner peace!!

Dear Shruti, wish you a very Happy New Year
With me, so many things do you share
Forever, will I take your secrets to the grave
A throughly beautiful relationship, do we have!!

Dear Shruti, wish you a very Happy New Year
You judge me never
Even after having seen me at my worst
For sure, will I do my best
To ensure you have a constant smile on your beautiful face
Every single test of life, I am sure you will ace!!

Dear Shruti, wish you a very Happy New Year
For me, 2024 was not an easy year
But you ensured there was a lot for me to smile about
Thanks to your constant support and encouragement
In the form of calls and voice notes
As well as sharing numerous pictures and videos!!

Dear Shruti, wish you a very Happy New Year
May 2025 be a glorious year
May all your hard work pay off handsomely
May you and your family forever be happy
May the Lord satisfy all your deepest desires
May you have a year nearly free of stress
And may we meet again soon, you wonderful human being
Till then, please do keep smiling
Love you loads, have fun and take care
And again, wishing you a very Happy New Year!!

My best friend are you, forever
Leave you will I, never
Unconditionally, have you always loved me
Never, have you not been there for me
When have I really needed it
Our relationship is nearly perfect!

My best friend are you, forever
Never can I forget our ride in my scooter
Thrilled were you, like a child
The memory was absolute gold
Truly, do I love you as a friend
In fact, are you actually a family friend!!

My best friend are you, forever
Rarely in you, have I seen anger
Extremely thankful am I, for your sheer patience
Again seldom, have I seen you tense
Certainly, are you the definition of "uber cool"
And almost never are you dull!!

My best friend are you, forever
Not valuable has been your advice, never
Almost always, are you caring and sweet
Yet sometimes, quite strict
And sounding like my mother
Though, actually are my unofficial sister!!

My best friend are you, forever
For you, a lot do I care
Sometimes, have I not given you enough space
Sending message after message
At other times, have I bored you
Or demanded a bit too much from you
For all these, would I dearly love to say sorry
I won't repeat it, don't worry!!

My best friend are you, forever
Your mother is nearly like my mother
Love and affection oozing from every bone of hers
Not to mention, are you and Pradeep amongst the cutest couples ever
And he is a good friend
Grateful am I to him, to no end
For encouraging our relationship
It is indeed a beautiful friendship
May God bless you, dear sister
Have good fun and take care
Here's hoping we meet again soon
In the meantime, may you shine like the moon!!

Thou art an amazing human being
Your poetry is something
That I could go on reading and reading
And never feel bored at all
Because, I love how you make the mighty fall
Showing the world that they truly are
Which is, nothing but a bunch of pretentious bores!

Thou art an amazing human being
Thanks to whom, are things always happening
Always, do you hit the bull's eye
When it cometh to calling out casteism and misogyny
Not to mention, are you incredibly courageous
What you write, has often been called "outrageous"
However, in my opinion
Nothing could ever come closer to the truth
And never have I been prouder of any person
Especially given that, nowadays, is there a dearth
Of truly radical thinkers
With the system, does nobody dare to tinker!!

Thou art an amazing human being
I find your books extremely inspiring
Not to mention, is your activism of supreme importance
Particularly given that, nowadays, very few dare to take a chance
And challenge the existing class and caste structure
A role model are you, for everyone who aspires
To try and bring about a societal transformation
Not to mention, repeatedly have you breached the bastion
Of cis hetero male *******!!

Thou art an amazing human being
Never do you give up on anything
Compassionate are you, to the core
A very caring mother
Who somehow manages to devote time to her children
In spite of being in the midst of so much action
Not to mention, a lot of genuine respect do you have
For your fans and admirers
Something that we greatly love
Oh, and ***** your haters!!
Just be the way you are
And may Jesus bless you, for now and forever!!

Whenever you enter my thoughts
A fire begins to burn fiercely in my heart
Destroying everything in its path
Except any positive thoughts
And from my mind, emerges a voice
Saying "You can do it
And you WILL do it!"
Whenever something seems amiss
I think of your struggles
And gradually, do I find myself more capable
Of achieving every task that is set before me
A Harry Houdini, you may not be
However, an inspiration are you, for sure
Because, so much do you care
About righting all the wrongs in our society
Casteism, Hindutva, Islamophobia, gender inequality
Determined are you, to fight hard for social justice
Even if you end up paying a huge price
I consider myself an extremely lucky person
To know such a lovely human being like you
Who talks not through words but actions
Though you are a very loving partner and mother
Rarely, do you showcase your affection and care
Your sheer nerve and bravery would make Godric Gryffindor proud
Your patience, dedication, loyalty and sense of justice would make Helga Hufflepuff proud
Your sharp wit and natural curiosity would make Rowena Ravenclaw proud
And finally
Your sheer ambition, determination and resourcefulness would make Salazar Slytherin proud
Always, will you be my primary motivator
Keep rocking, keep fighting and do take care
May the Almighty bless you forever!!

Whenever I feel confident enough
To tackle all that is tough
It is you, who will get the credit
Because, your passion is almost impossible to beat
On the other hand, whenever am I down
I know I am not alone
Because, your fiery writing fills me with hope
And ensures I no longer mope
Well, I am a fan of quite a few poets
Yet, very few produce the kind of effect
That you somehow manage to do without even breaking a sweat
Your work sounds a red alert
To the entire Indian literary scene
Which has an unfortunate obsession
With being politically correct
You, on the other hand, are so direct
That you tackle every single issue head-on
Greatly do I admire, your grit and gumption
Though I share not, your profession
Always, do I derive motivation
From your never-say-die spirit
Thus, bit by bit
Do I summon the courage and strength
To do my very best
Fighting every single fear and insecurity
And climbing the huge wall of positivity
Which would ultimately lead me to success
Of course, I do fail sometimes
But thanks to you, afraid am I not
To push the limits
And never will I give up
Because, again, you fill me with so much hope
That even the impossible suddenly becomes possible
And the possible becomes probable
Thank you so much, Dear Comrade!
Jai Bhim!! Vaazgha Periyar!!

Dear Namrata, wish you in advance, the happiest New Year
As a colleague, were you quite dear
And as a friend, we share a lovely bond
By nature, are you exceedingly kind
Always, have you been on my side
Through many a rollercoaster ride!

Dear Namrata, wish you in advance, the happiest New Year
I miss you more and more
As the days pass by
Indeed, was it hard to say goodbye
However, shall our relationship last for life
And firmly shall we support each other, in times of strife!!

Dear Namrata, wish you in advance, the happiest New Year
You are a fantabulous wife and mother
Almost godlike, are your children
Your home nearly feels like heaven
You too are welcome at my house, any time
Your mere presence would make my family members beam!!

Dear Namrata, wish you in advance, the happiest New Year
May 2025 bring you infinite cheer
May you have a life almost free of stress
Come true, may all your dreams
Have fun, take care and see you soon
And till then, may you shine as brightly as the Sun!!

Returning to work
After a rather enjoyable weekend
Is hardly something to rejoice about
Especially when you are handling Recruitment
And particularly when you work in a startup
A startup that supposedly gives you freedom
Freedom for the employer, that is
To keep nagging his employees
From time to time
But not freedom for the employees
To work as per their convenience
You feel like a balloon
Pressed on all sides
By the boss, candidates and clients
One false step
And Boom! you are back to square one
And left with a mountain to climb
At the speed of light
You know, though, what's the worst part?
It's the uncertainty
Whether it be in finding relevant resumes
Or speaking to a bunch of candidates
And trying to convince them
Or, if you do somehow manage to convince someone
Waiting for him/her to share the CV
Is like watching that infamous innings of Sunil Gavaskar
In the 1975 World Cup
It kills you from inside
Such that, you just can't wait
For a miracle to happen
Which involves the client
Uttering the magic words
"This position is temporarily on hold"

Music is a wonderful healer
It has soothed many a troubled soul
And cheered up many a depressed soul
There is something in music
That endears itself, to one and all
Something irresistible, so much so
That it feels, frankly divine
Something that distinguishes it
From all other forms of art
There is no greater joy
Than watching a master musician at work
Maestros are one of a kind
Around them, is an aura so powerful
That nothing can stop them
From weaving their magic
Slowly, but surely
And leaving us spellbound
At the sheer symmetry of it all
And we cannot speak about maestros
Without speaking about Harris Jayaraj
His music takes us into a whole new world
A world full of hope
A world full of infinite possibilities
And most importantly
A world where we feel liberated
Whether it be the softness of the instruments
Or the extremely catchy tunes
Or the clever choice of singers
There is no doubt
That his music has cast a spell on us all
Of course, there are haters
Some of whom call him a copycat
However, actions speak louder than words
From Minnale to Kaakha Kaakha
From Ghajini to Unnale Unnale
From Vaaranam Aayiram to Ko
From Nanban to Anegan
From Yennai Arindhaal to Kaappaan
Harris has delivered hits time and again
His records speak for themselves
And what's more
We can love or hate Harris
But we can't deny
That his music affects us all
For better or for worse

Dear Investment Banking
Why do you have to be so difficult?
I spend hours and hours
Days and days
And weeks and weeks
Searching every nook and corner
For some really good resumes
Which are as easy to find
As a drop of water
In the Thar desert
I speak to dozens and dozens of people
Some are not looking for jobs
Some politely decline
Upon hearing the name of the client
Some need time to think
And others don't even bother to respond
It's a cruel world indeed

Dear Investment Banking
Why do you have to be so difficult?
After a lot of frustration and heartburn
And helplessness and desperation in turn
I finally manage to find a good candidate
Who also happens to be interested
However, as expected, there is a catch
He hasn't updated his resume
And by the time he does it
We would have already lost the client
Thus, I have no choice
But to move on
And resume the search
Which is already looking tougher
Than clearing the IIT-JEE!
Dear Investment Banking
Why do you have to be so difficult?

Hiring For Investment Banking roles
Is like wading through a swamp
At first, it may appear as easy
As winning the French Open is, for Rafael Nadal
Since there is a decent pool of candidates
Waiting to be tapped into
However, as the old cliche goes
Appearances are deceptive
There are numerous pits
In the form of various factors
That influence the interest levels
Of each and every candidate
Such as, the job location
The salary
The bonus payout
The appraisal cycle
The scope of the role
The reporting manager
The brand
And most importantly, the work culture
It requires a truckload of skills
As well as a fat lot of luck
To maneuver your way through the swamp
And successfully avoid these pits
Which lurk in the shadows
Waiting to catch you unawares
One slip-up, and you may lose a candidate
Every time that happens
You'll find yourself sinking into the mud
Slowly, but surely
The harder you try to escape
The deeper you end up sinking
By the time you find that "perfect candidate"
Your face is all that will remain above the surface
And the only thing that can save you
Is the client uttering the magic words
"This position is now on hold"

A friend to treasure, are you
A very supportive colleague, were you
Outspoken and to the point
For you, is there only do or don't
No in between
However, never are you mean
Deep down, are you quite gentle
To follow, are you quite the example!

A friend to treasure, are you
I love interacting with you
Quite long, are our calls
Because, you give it your all
When it comes to words of wisdom
As a friend, really are you awesome!!

A friend to treasure, are you
Extremely genuine and true
And a ******* follower of Jesus
Always, has he helped you in times of crisis
Thanks to you, am I learning a lot about him
Which, to a certain extent, is helping me stay calm
Also, are you and Rene an awesome couple
With your children, would I dearly love to mingle!!

A friend to treasure, are you
So blessed am I, to know you
Anything you need, can you count on me
Always, can I spare time
No matter what the situation may be
May Jesus bless you and your family
With oodles of love, happiness, peace and prosperity!!

Oh wisdom teeth, why do you hate me so much?
What have I ever done to you?
It is thanks to you
That my life has turned topsy-turvy
You should never have been born
For all you do, is cause pain
Metaphorical as well as literal
It was ten years ago
When I was first advised by a dentist
To finish you off
I let it slide at that time
And decided to give you a chance
Four years later
I was given the same suggestion
By another dentist
That too in a different city
Yet again, I decided to spare you
And four more years later
History repeated itself
Thus, you turned out to be luckier
Than a cat with nine lives
But you never made use of all that luck, did you?
On the other hand
You had the nerve
To bite the hand
That has been feeding you for so long
Thus, I had no choice
But to send you back to your Maker
Where you truly belong
Of course, you wouldn't surrender without a fight
The anesthetic injection was painful enough
But little did I expect
That you would continue to haunt me
Even after you were gone
For good
I had to take painkiller after painkiller
And even that was not enough
For monsters like you
Who made sure
That every meal was an ordeal by fire
And so was every phone conversation
Oh wisdom teeth, why do you hate me so much?

You are a feisty friend
Your chatter has almost no end
You light up many a morning
Around you, always are things happening!

You are a feisty friend
Really, one of a kind
So fun to work with
Your spirit is certainly tough to beat!!

You are a feisty friend
As a resource, an excellent find
So suave, when it comes to conversations with candidates
Every time, do you seem to have all the answers!!

You are a feisty friend
I believe you can survive on any land
So street smart and resourceful, you are
Nearly nothing do you fear!!

You are a feisty friend
We share a sweet little bond
Constantly, do I look out for you
Because, I am so fond of you!!

You are a feisty friend
Let there be absolutely no end
To the great times we have together
Because, you are so full of cheer!!

You are a feisty friend
With a very keen mind
Not to mention, a fighter through and through
You have absolutely no clue
What an incredible human being you are
Please stay like this forever
Keep that charming smile on your face always
And yes, do soon come to my house!!

Dear Bro, wish you many happy returns
Always, do I enjoy our calls
You are a wonderful person
So proud am I, to be your cousin!

Dear Bro, wish you many happy returns
I so love our visits to Eating Circles
Your jokes keep me entertained
Some of them are absolute gold!!

Dear Bro, wish you many happy returns
Cheers me up, does your mere presence
You are also amongst the coolest fathers
Sahana is so much fun to be around
Though of course, on the other hand
She can be devilishly tricky at times!!

Dear Bro, wish you many happy returns
To be highly valued, are your suggestions
You are almost like a mentor
For us, so much do you care!!

Dear Bro, wish you many happy returns
I hope today was one of your best birthdays
May you have an amazing year ahead
With many a blessing, may you be showered
I hope to catch up with you soon
May you shine brightly as the Moon!!

Lucky am I, to have you as a friend
To me, always have you been kind
A very supportive colleague, you were
And an even better friend, you are!

Lucky am I, to have you as a friend
A relationship with you, has absolutely no end
True are you, to the tee
Around you, is almost everyone happy
You call a ***** a *****
And yet, to all are you unfailingly good!!

Lucky am I, to have you as a friend
You possess a heart of gold
Hence, did you give me a chance
Even when I probably deserved it not
In fact, that's when we became friends
Never in my life, shall I forget this golden moment!!

Lucky am I, to have you as a friend
Forget you I will not, even after we both grow old
You are a gem of a wife and a mother
May your lovely children have a fantastic future
Blessed am I, to have been at your home thrice
A haven for love, happiness and peace
So proud am I, to have you and Vivek as friends
Your entire family, may Jesus bless
Now and always!!

I have been putting up with you
For days and days
Weeks and weeks
Months and months
And even years and years
Your service has been average at best
And appalling at worst
Issues here, issues there
You name them, you have them
Frequent call drops
Truncated conversations
Total silence at the other end
Whatsapp calls getting disconnected
Nearly every minute
My own voice echoing
And I can go on and on
Every time I complain
You have your excuses at the ready
Geographical conditions
Mobile network settings
Problems with the SIM card
Or for that matter, the handset
It's a miracle
That I didn't die of sheer boredom
After listening to your nonsense
Anyway, I decided to give you a few chances
And thanks to my frequent complaints
There finally seemed to be a bit of improvement
In the overall service
However, I should have known
That it would be too good to last
The same issues started recurring
As always, I have been exceedingly patient
But now things have really gone too far
When a customer is deprived
Of a service as basic as sending a text message
It means the time has come
To end the relationship with the service provider
Once and for all

Say I love you, Ms. T
Willing am I, to change
And expand my range
But I will change only my behaviour
Not my nature
For you, can I be silent
Become less brutally honest
Speak more softly
Walk more slowly
Keep some distance
Be less tense
Irrespective of the situation
Give you more attention
Even go to jail if required
As long as the cause is good!

Say I love you, Ms. T
With you, will I always be
Loyal to the tee
Through sunny and rainy days
Even if I never get my way
Your secrets, will I keep forever
For you, deeply will I care
However, never will I be overprotective
No matter what, will I do my best to stay positive
After all, are we a team
And you make me beam!!

Say I love you, Ms. T
So much fun, can we have
And so much, can I give
A night out at Elliot's Beach
Swapping tales at lunch
While I savour a Beef Biryani
Writing poems about each other
Listening to Harris Jayaraj songs together
Dissing the central government
Getting into a Harry Potter related argument
Travelling in a "toy train"
Dancing in the Chennai rain
The list will be endless
And will I make sure, nothing you miss!!

Say I love you, Ms. Y
If you love me back
I swear I will always have your back
Because, are you my world
And it is your hand I will forever hold
If not, then thank you for this beautiful opportunity
To write yet another piece of romantic poetry!!

Another day goes by
When you work your hardest
And yet, you are left with nothing
To show for your hard toil
All those hours you spent
Searching for the right profiles
All those hours you spent
Calling as many candidates as possible

Another day goes by
When the world of Recruitment
Lures you into its *****
With a lot of false promises
Only to grab you
In a vice-like grip
At the eleventh hour
And try and choke you into submission
In the same way
An anaconda coils itself
Around its hapless prey
And squeezes it to death

Another day goes by
When you toil away
Like there is no tomorrow
Searching for candidates
In every nook and cranny
But, with every candidate
It is the same story
They are not interested
Not for this particular client
A client which calls itself "mid-market"
But is actually rather small
Some candidates are quite friendly
Some are just polite
Some, downright rude
And others don't even bother
To pick up their phone
The bottomline is
This client just won't sell
And as yet another day goes by
I wonder what have I done
To deserve such an unwanted burden
Upon my hapless shoulders

A beautiful friend, you are
Polite to the core
And at the same time, seldom not upfront
You possess a lot of grit
Not to mention, are you a gem of a colleague
Your heart is really big
And you are extremely helpful
Way to go, girl!

A beautiful friend, you are
Riddham and you are such a sweet pair
You are a wonderful character
Always smiling from ear to ear
So brilliant at work
In you, what's not to like?

A beautiful friend, you are
A lot of difficulties, have you often had to bear
However, you are quite strong
And rarely do you go wrong!!

A beautiful friend, you are
You and Riddham are totally made for each other
One of the most romantic couples
You put each other completely at ease!!

A beautiful friend, you are
And an even better wife, you sure are
Managing office work as well as house work
Never, do you go blank
Well, you are a remarkable woman
Having you around is such a boon!!

A beautiful friend, you are
With me, patient have you been forever
In spite of various mistakes from my side
You are seriously too good!!

A beautiful friend, you are
Forget you I will, never
Here's hoping we catch up soon
Take care and have loads of fun!!

A very nice friend, you are
A fun-loving colleague, you were
Really, did I enjoy the team lunch we had at Zaffran
Though the food was a bit of a pain
Always, did working with you make my day
Because, you helped me keep stress at bay!

A very nice friend, you are
And a **** cool wife and mother
Almost all poems of mine, do you appreciate
All my rants, do you put up with
As far as patience goes, hard are you to beat
Some day, would I love to give you a treat!!

A very nice friend, you are
For your family, greatly do you care
So sweet and charming, are your kids
Managing family and work at the same time, is very hard
However, easy, do you manage to make it look
Never, do you pass the buck!!

A very nice friend, you are
Always, does speaking with you make me feel better
Hope we catch up soon
To meet you again, am I quite keen
Till then, take care and keep the smile on your lovely face
And may Jesus bless you with a truckload of love, happiness and peace!!

Dear South Africa, worry not
Chokers, you guys are definitely NOT
Done your very best, you have
A lot is there, to love
In the way you play your cricket
Certainly, are you not easy to beat!

Dear South Africa, worry not
Losing, is the end of the world, NOT
You guys have scaled many peaks
Never given up hope
Even when the situation has been bleak
Always, have you gone deep
Whether it be chasing totals
Or for that matter, defending them
Never, have you not given it your all
So, no need to raise an alarm
Just because you lost one final
Which, by the way, was your FIRST
And you certainly played your best!!

Dear South Africa, worry not
You guys have done a lot
Brought in big hitting batsmen
Beefed up your spin attack
Improved your batting against spin
And of course, terrific, is your pace bowling attack
In short, have you taken all the necessary steps
In order to improve your winning chances!!

Dear South Africa, worry not
Always, do you guys fight
Till the very end
Soon, may your title drought end
Please keep repeating this to yourselves
"We are NOT chokers
The World Cup, will we soon WIN!!"
Amen!!

Everyone knows children are usually pure of heart
Moreover, their creativity is almost impossible to beat
So, we should listen to the child within us
Let flow a vast pool of ideas
Pouring back and forth from every corner of the mind
Remember, a child is most willing to bend
This allows him/her to think out of the box
Thereby significantly increasing the chances of success
We must be free and secure, like a child
Even when we grow old
This way, we can always be happy
Even when we don't get our way
Which will happen a number of times
An adult mind is complex
Which often leads him/her to overthink
And once we begin to overthink
We will get trapped in a vicious circle
And in our demons' court, will be the ball
Thus, we will be in a perennial state of anxiety
Even if we embody honesty and integrity
Hence, it is important to encourage the child within us
And follow our instincts
Well, maybe not all the time
But at least from time to time
Because, the child represents freedom
An escape from boredom
And most importantly, flexibility
Which leads to more positivity
And helps get ride of the clutter in our minds
So essential for achieving inner peace
Hence, I will say it once and for all
In the child's court, should be the ball!

A precious friend, you are
Almost any kind of trouble, can you bear
You speak your mind without worrying
About what most people would be thinking
Praise, criticism, you give in equal measure
Really, are you a friend to treasure!

A precious friend, you are
To work with, great fun you were
Spot on, were your suggestions
Seldom, were you out of action
To you, am I very grateful
For being extremely kind to me
When I didn't deserve it at all
Really, did you set my mind free
From all my shackles of self-doubt
Your compassion is hard to beat!!

A precious friend, you are
And a wonderful wife and mother
Vivek has a heart of gold
And your children are themselves gold!
Moreover, being at your home
Has always felt like being at my own home!!

A precious friend, you are
Now and forever
May Jesus bless you and your lovely family
With everything that makes you all happy!!

Three years of hard work
Three years of patience
Three years of dedication
Where are the rewards?
You talk so much about speed
You talk so much about quality
You talk so much about numbers
Where were you
When the salary was delayed
Every alternate month?
Where were you
When the incentives were delayed
By more than a year?

Three years of hard work
Three years of patience
Three years of dedication
There has been so much
I have put up with
But I do expect something in return
Such as timely payment of salary
Timely payment of incentives
And you have failed to deliver
In all of these aspects
Each of which, is so critical
For a healthy relationship
Between employer and employee
But, are you a good employer?
Looking at the evidence so far
I guess the answer is no

Three years of hard work
Three years of patience
Three years of dedication
The wait has been long enough
I have been extremely patient
But at some stage
My patience is bound to snap
And then, you will hopefully understand
That it may be easy
To lose a good employee
But much more difficult
To find a replacement
And, looking at the speed
At which you pay the salary or incentives
The search will go on and on
Until your wretched company shuts shop
Which is something
That we are all eagerly looking forward to!

I get a call from a friend
To whom I haven't spoken
In quite a while
All pleasantries done, we begin talking in right earnest
Catching up on each other
And reminiscing the good old days
When there was no pandemic
We're just over five minutes into the call
When there is a click
And the call drops all of a sudden
I call him back
And we continue from where we left off
However, after barely two minutes
My friend gets busy
Understandably, work is calling
I know the feeling well
After all, we're in the same boat
However, after a few hours
He calls back
And the conversation continues in right earnest
But, would you believe it?
After just over 5 minutes
The call drops, yet again
Way to go, Vodafone
You've just managed to ruin a conversation, twice
Mark my words
If there are any more call drops
Then it will be you
Who will be dropped, as a service provider

One of the truest friends, you are
Selfish, are you never
Greatly, do I value our relationship
And always, will I clap
For anything and everything you achieve
Because, you make me believe
That every problem in the world can be solved
If we thoroughly apply our mind
You are a very kind soul
And strongly do you feel
For anyone and everyone
Being associated with you is really a boon!

One of the truest friends, you are
For your family and friends, deeply do you care
You were also a wonderful colleague
At that time, was my ego getting big
But thanks to you, did I manage to mellow down
And learn a valuable lesson
Something that I will remember forever
You know, you can seriously make a good teacher!!

One of the truest friends, you are
You and Vivek make a rock-solid pair
It was a great honour to visit your home
Both of you are truly gems
When it comes to character and personality
No wonder, does everyone love your family
Especially your lovely little children
From whom, is there a lot to learn!!

One of the truest friends, you are
And will be forever
May Jesus bless you and your family
With every bit of love, happiness, peace and prosperity!!

You are an absolute gem of a friend
By nature, very kind
But at the same time, seldom do you not speak your mind
Whether it be good or bad
A wonderful colleague, you were
And an even better friend, you are!

You are an absolute gem of a friend
Once you start talking, there is no end
So up-to-date, on a variety of topics
Cricket, movies, music, food, religion, politics
I can go on and on
To humankind, are you a veritable boon!!

You are an absolute gem of a friend
Always, do you stand your ground
Irrespective of the situation
Beyond your capabilities, is no complication!!

You are an absolute gem of a friend
And one of a kind
Very sharp, is your mind
You use your wits to no end
No wonder, are you such a good judge of character
You are as solid as the Rock of Gibraltar!!

You are an absolute gem of a friend
Vivek and you share an amazing bond
So happy am I, to know him as well
The faith you both have in Jesus is surreal!!

You are an absolute gem of a friend
And your children are pure gold
In you, do I forever place my trust
Sharing things with you helps get a massive load off my chest
Well, hopefully we will meet soon
May you keep shining like the Sun!!

If my day goes well
Then you are responsible
If my day does not go well
You are the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel
Personally, 2024 was not a great year
However, you did your best to ensure
That there was something for me to smile about
Truly, are you a brilliant poet
As well as a cracking writer
Not to mention, an activist with almost no fear
All in all, an incredible human being
Who stops at nearly nothing
To try and ensure social justice for all
To do what you do, it takes an iron will
Moreover, are you amongst the fiercest voices
In the fight for gender equality
Well, you may not exactly scream from the rooftops
But you have a very special ability
Namely, expressing your thoughts in the form of words
Incredibly hard-hitting and powerful words
Which resonate for a long, long time
Because, they are so, so sublime
Seriously, are you creating waves
Changing opinions of millions
Including mine of course
Before I started reading your books
And watching your videos
My life was on a downward spiral
Thanks to you, do I now possess the will
To fight my darkest fears
And do my best to overcome my deepest insecurities
Of course, you are no magician
However, you are a beautiful human
Who has flaws, like everyone else
And most importantly, embraces those flaws
That's why I like you so much
Dr. Kandasamy, thanks a bunch
For coming into my life
And giving me an extra reason to live
Red Salute, Comrade!

You are one of my kindest friends
A relationship with you, has not an end
Soft-spoken, tolerant and caring
Around you, are good things forever happening
Never, do you judge
Your heart is huge
Lucky am I, to be part of your life
And you have an awesome wife!

You are one of my kindest friends
Loving your spouse to no end
The two of you are an extremely sweet couple
Shruti is a **** good girl
Been there for me, she always has
With the two of you around, life almost feels like a breeze!!

You are one of my kindest friends
Slowly, are we developing a lovely little bond
Chatting with you is quite reassuring
Because, are you so understanding
Not to mention, nearly always appreciating my poems
As well as advising me at times
Well dude, please stay the way you are
Have fun and take care
And may the Lord bless you forevermore
With a truly glorious future!!

You are a very sweet friend
By nature, so so kind
Yet at the same time, brutally honest
Coming to your home was a real treat
Rene and you are an adorable couple
Your kids are cute and charming as well
I am extremely blessed, to know you all
The family is truly beautiful!

You are a very sweet friend
Always, have we shared an unbreakable bond
Also, were you such a supportive colleague
So proud was I, to be part of your league
Forever, have you seen the good in me
And very very rarely, have you been angry!!

You are a very sweet friend
Singing the praises of dear Jesus to no end
Your counsel is immensely valuable
In fact, a better person have you made me, on the whole
Well, I hope to meet you soon
Your friendship is a big boon
Have fun, keep praying and take care
May Jesus bless you and family forevermore!!

How cruel can you be?
How heartless can you be?
Every month, every week
Every day, every hour
Every minute, every second
You subject your employees
To nothing but abject slavery
In the name of hard work
In the name of targets
But in reality, just to satisfy
Your unquenchable thirst for money
Your insatiable greed for power

How cruel can you be?
How heartless can you be?
You expect results at the speed of light
But you do not provide your employees
The necessary resources
After all, do you think
They are all Harry Houdinis
Capable of pulling rabbits out of hats?

How cruel can you be?
How heartless can you be?
Your employees burn the midnight oil
And brave Hell for you
Some of them are forced to do it
Just to make both ends meet
And you have the sheer nerve
To deny them their pay
Which they have so richly earned
After weeks and weeks of toil

How cruel can you be?
How heartless can you be?
Mark my words, the time will come
When you will pay for your deeds
Till now, you have been lucky
Fate has been on your side
However, things will soon change
Your company will be in free-fall
You will be in debt
With nowhere to turn
As your employees will desert you
One by one
Not even a Houdini can save you then

You are a very dear friend
With an extremely keen mind
You say things as they are
Without worrying about the consequences
Indeed, are you a really brave person
Who will seldom not stand up for what is right
Even if she happens to stand alone
Always right, is your gut!

You are a very dear friend
It is wonderful to have you around
As a colleague, you were absolute gold
So helpful and supportive, till the very end
Not to mention, always up with a wisecrack or two
Never, did you fail to stand up to You-Know-Who!!

You are a very dear friend
Someone who is unbelievably kind
But at the same time, quite feisty
Well, with you, have I forever been happy
We had an amazing time at dear Tamanna's wedding
Every single moment, were we enjoying
Also, have your treats always been fantastic
As a host, is there nothing you lack
And you have a beautiful family
No wonder, are you forever jolly!!

You are a very dear friend
We share such a special bond
Well, you must come home soon
Your mere presence has always been a boon
So, keep smiling and take care
May you have a glorious future!!

Greatly, do I value your friendship
It is a beautiful relationship
You were a very supportive teammate
Ironically though, it was after we fought
That our friendship really began
But of course, you are a gem of a person
Jesus would be proud of you
Because, so true and sincere are you!

Greatly, do I value your friendship
As well as your husband's friendship
Vivek is a really sweet guy
Always, does he keep you happy
And your children are true diamonds
Surely, does the entire family embody happiness and peace!!

Greatly, do I value your friendship
In our communication, seldom is there a gap
Because, you are **** brutally honest
Though of course, at times you can be extremely sweet
That's what makes you such a brilliant wife and mother
Like you, can there be no other!!

Greatly, do I value your friendship
Never will there be an end, to this relationship
Our bond should grow stronger over time
To Chennai, hopefully soon will I come
Take care and keep that lovely smile on your face
May you be blessed with loads of love, success, happiness and peace!!

You are one of my closest friends
We share an unbreakable bond
A beautiful soul, you are
For almost everyone, deeply do you care
Selfless, humble and unassuming
Warm, friendly and caring
Really, are you a dream friend
In you, is there nothing to amend!

You are one of my closest friends
By nature, are you too kind
Due to which, often do you suffer
I hope and pray, will things soon get better
Especially considering your faith in the Lord is unwavering
Without you, is your family nearly nothing!!

You are one of my closest friends
Someone whom I will fiercely defend
At the drop of a hat
Your loyalty is impossible to defeat
Always, have you advised me well
As a friend, truly are you vera level!!

You are one of my closest friends
Your family cares for me to no end
And my family is also your family
Forever, do I want you to be happy
Totally, do I enjoy our long calls
They keep me from feeling dull
Definitely, are you a godsend
And may our relationship never end
See you soon bro and take care
And may the Lord bless you with everything you desire!!

A very close friend, have you become
Somehow, do you always manage to beam
Irrespective of the situation
Whenever I experience tension
It is you, who ensures calm
Thanks to you, a better person have I become!

A very close friend, have you become
Twice, have I been to your home
Never, have I not been treated like a family member
Your children, I really adore
You yourself are a wonderful wife and mother
Not to mention, a colleague to die for!!

A very close friend, have you become
Forever, are you welcome at my home
Always, have you supported me till the very end
We share an unbeatable bond
A very sweet and caring person, you are
A truckload of difficulties, do you bear
But you possess an indomitable spirit
Hence, are you able to ace every single test
Which life throws at you
As a friend, I love you!!

A very close friend, have you become
I know you will forever be with me
To be associated with such a lovely person
Is something I consider a great fortune
May you be blessed with loads of love, success, happiness and peace
And may the force be with you, now and always!!

You, I think about, every single day
Not only does it make me happy
It provides me hope
Whenever I mope
You are not simply an inspiration
In me, do you ensure perspiration
In order to reach my goals
If I achieve success
I will dedicate it to you, for your writing
Because, you keep me believing
Hence, never do I give up
In fact, the only way for me is up
Drives me, does your radical thought
Which is straight from the heart
About society, you give not a ****
Something that manages to make me beam
Even when I am drowning in a pool of insecurities
You pull me, bit by bit
Towards achieving inner peace
One does not have to be perfect
Thanks chiefly to you, did I realise that
Your fiery passion helps me stay afloat
Even when the ship of my mind is sinking
Due to too much overthinking
You enable me to get rid of the clutter
Thus, does my focus keep getting better and better
A true braveheart, you are
In spite of being a mother
Amongst the loudest, is your voice
Against all sorts of injustice
What better motivation, do I need?
Thank you, Dear Comrade
Jai Bhim! Vaazhga Periyar!!

You are a sweet brother
Very humble and understated by nature
Rarely, do you get angry
Most of the time, are you happy!

You are a sweet brother
Your spouse is an amazing sister
I love your approach to life
Quite well, do you handle strife!!

You are a sweet brother
Your calmness, greatly do I admire
You are a wonderful husband
Shruti and you share such a cute bond!!

You are a sweet brother
One of a kind, you are
Often, do you go through work stress
However, seldom do you not show everybody who's the boss!!

You are a sweet brother
Beautiful, is your character
You possess the innocence of a child
Sometimes, are you too kind!!

You are a sweet brother
And will be part of my family forever
Please come to Mumbai soon
We shall have a lot of fun
I want you to always keep that classic smile on your handsome face
May you be blessed with everything you desire, always!!

You have become the monster you once hated
An entire community, have you almost destroyed
At will, do you bomb schools and hospitals
And when the natives resist, you call them "terrorists"
You starve nearly the entire population
Truly, are you an evil nation!

You have become the monster you once hated
Forcing thousands of people to get amputated
Without even the basic facility of anaesthesia
Do you feel remorse, even an iota?
Seriously, are you no better than those Nazis
Lining up people after people in concentration camps
Having a nice little laugh after committing mass slaughter
YOU are the very DEFINITION of TERROR!!

You have become the monster you once hated
To the core, are you perverted
Sexually harassing and ****** your female prisoners
Making an absolute mockery of justice
Murdering children and babies in cold blood
In you, is there absolutely no good!!

You have become the monster you once hated
Well, now get ready to be hated
By all the decent people in this rather cruel and uncaring world
Your lies will no longer do you any good
Because, the LORD is NOT on YOUR side
After all, you are in bed
With none other than SATAN
Trust me, evil will never win
Therefore, only a matter of time it is
Before your immoral reign finally ends!!