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!!

An awesome cousin, you are
Of almost all things in the world, are you aware
An avid cricket and tennis lover
Around you, is there a hell lot of cheer!

An awesome cousin, you are
Never, can you be a bore
Yes, you are a bit reserved usually
But in a rather sweet way
And when it comes to topics of interest
You are at your talkative best!!

An awesome cousin, you are
Proud am I, to have you as my little brother
Your American accent is quite strong
In tennis, seldom do you go wrong
The Wimbledon camping experience would definitely not have been the same
Without you at the helm
However, you can be really funny at times
Your pronunciation of Chicago was truly hilarious!!

An awesome cousin, you are
Beyond your years, are you mature
We had a great time during the WTC final
In spite of India's disappointing performance
Thanks chiefly to your presence
Highly entertained, do you always keep us all!!

An awesome cousin, you are
May you have a fabulous future
Here's hoping we meet up soon
Like Nithya told me yesterday, we all should go on a vacation
So, have fun and keep smiling
May the Almighty shower you with many a blessing!!

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!!

We stood together as brothers in arms.
Our side was small, both in stature and numbers.
Fighting daily battles, we knew the war was lost.
The tattered battlefield was a living room carpet.
We received no weapons, but our enemy did.
Armed with wooden spoons and open palms.
We retaliated with tears and with silent obedience.
The yelling in the house echoed like explosions.
In that grey one-story house, my siblings and I.
We stood together as brothers in arms.

We share many beautiful memories
Because, are we beautiful brothers
From childhood to adolescence to adulthood
Our relationship has never been less than very very good!

We share many beautiful memories
Playing cricket on the streets
And of course inside the house
Making a mockery of cricket rules in the process
For example, a one-handed one-pitch catch
Could win you the match
Or even better, getting beaten would be considered out
However, best of all was book cricket
Where India would score a thousand runs
And the opposing team would be shot out for less than fifty runs!!

We share many beautiful memories
Playing many Cric07 matches
You teaching me the "D-shot"
Myself as Steve Harmison playing 400 ***** without a single attacking shot
Pitching the ball on the wicketkeeper's legs
For sure, would we have outraged many cricket lovers!!

We share many beautiful memories
My unnaturally high-pitched laugh during the beginning of my teens
You having to explain cricket rules to me all over again
Though I had not REALLY forgotten
The hilarious Yelagiri boat incident
For hysterics, did I have some kind of talent!!

We share many beautiful memories
Listening to AR Rahman songs of the glorious late nineties
Before you converted me to a Harris Jayaraj fan
And more than a decade later, a Santhosh Narayanan fan!!

We share many beautiful memories
You and Shreeja teasing me multiple times
About the "Gulmohar Malare" song
Thanks to this, YouTube did I start watching!!

We share many beautiful memories
Playing the game "20 Questions"
Involving cricket as well as Harry Potter
Having multiple debates on Harry Potter
Comparing the movies with the books
This would go on for hours!!

We share many beautiful memories
Having multiple get-togethers with our relatives
Watching cricket matches at Ranga Periappa's house
Getting treated to Sizzling Brownies at Opal Inn
And can I go on and on
However, as per my idol Dr. Meena Kandasamy's advice sage
A poem has to stop at some stage
So, Dear Bro, hope you enjoyed reading
As much as I enjoyed writing!!

The men of God met together
early in the morning
Would 4 dozen eggs stretch?

The men of God cooked together
early in the morning
Would Pyrex or Crackpot be best?

The men of God planned together
early in the morning
Would Barney remember the chives?

The men of God sat together
early in the morning
Would Logan allow open fires?

The men of God prayed together
early in the morning.
Would Jesus prefer bread and fish?

The men of God laughed together
early in the morning
Could anything ever beat this?

A very dear brother, you are
Warm and friendly by nature
Also, are you quite street smart
You would make Ravenclaw proud, with your quick wit
So happy am I, to have you in my life
Greatly dependable are you, in times of strife!

A very dear brother, you are
For me, a lot do you care
Fun to talk with, all the time
I can remember not, when we had not a splendid time!!

A very dear brother, you are
Almost nothing, do you fear
From kid to teenager to adult
Always, have you been difficult to beat
In many a debate
Irrespective of the topic
Trains, Harry Potter, music
Animals, food, cricket, politics
The list is endless!!

A very dear brother, you are
A fantastic bond, do we share
Your patience and fortitude, I can forget not
When we once missed a flight
Owing mainly to my behaviour
Really, are you quite the saviour!!

A very dear brother, you are
And will be forever
May you have a **** exciting future
Come true, may all your deepest desires
Have fun, take care and soon I'll meet you
Forevermore, may the Almighty bless you!!

We met three times
Over fifteen years.
The disagreement paled
In light of his diagnosis.

He unexpectedly appeared
At my door, then stood in my kitchen.
He had a few serious questions
About brotherly affections,
And after spitting into my sink
(the poor man)
He wondered if I thought less of him
For not sending cards at Christmas and birthdays.
Is that what he came to say?

Next was at our last family wedding.
He was still steady on his feet.
We were five Irish lads.
The sisters said he was the handsome one.
He was.
There are six of us posing in this final shot.
He's wearing a Lucille Ball tie,
Losened around his neck,
Yet covering the gill-like scar
Running from lobe to lobe.
His hands are buried deep
In his pants' pockets.
His smile says Good-bye.

I saw him for the last time
A few weeks later,
Standing, bent and coughing
At the intersedtion of the roadway and Nature Trail.
His rib cage raging from contortions.
He waved off an offered ride.
And then he was gone.
It took us years to get here.