#novelists
(A bit of fun for Thomas W. Case - I think he lives in Iowa)
Hawkeye pride burns bright in Iowa City,
the place where Tennessee Williams learned to curse.
Iowa City hosts the 4th of July, Iowa speedway race, unique perhaps
because the cars have to stay behind a tractor for the first 199 laps.
How polite are the people in Iowa City? I saw a news report where a man was mugged,
traumatic? Sure, but the man still remembered to say “Thank you” before the perp bugged.
There are over twenty-six churches here, people can be a bit pious and obnoxiously reflective.
There’s a Hawkeye infestation in Iowa City because of the university, classified as ‘moderately selective.’
Geographically, Iowa’s where the rolling plains meet a limestone rise.(1)
Did I mention that the bars close at 2am? A travesty in any serious drinker’s eyes.
Some noted authors came from Iowa City, the locals are proud of that and own it.
Most were playwrights and novelists, luckily, few of them turned out to be poets.
(1) whatever that is
Mar 8, 2024
Mar 8, 2024 at 9:34 PM UTC
Some writers are like comets,
A flash, and soon gone;
Some that burned brightest,
Are rocks that don't burn long.
Some writers are like meteors,
Burning hot through spheres;
As meteorites they stay with us,
Though brighter in younger years.
One writer, Leonard Cohen,
No brighter light revealed;
Still yearning for the fire,
Still burning all these years.
Apr 4, 2015
Apr 4, 2015 at 5:02 PM UTC
Thou art my last hope
Do my best I shall, not to mope
Thanks to you, and you alone
Because, you have been through so much pain
Yet, have you always emerged strong
Very rarely, has your judgement been wrong
These days, I seem to be doing nothing right
But thanks to you, do I somehow manage to see the light
You motivate me so much
That I feel like I am on a beach
Watching the waves rise and fall
And being at peace, all in all
Suddenly, do I begin to feel
That the possibility of achieving the impossible is very real
Always, have you been a fighter
Pushing harder and harder
Against the tallest of odds
Carrying an extremely heavy load
On your already weary shoulders
Really, are you a warrior!
Thou art my last hope
Even when there is a queen-sized gap
Between expectations and reality
Never do you think of giving up
Because, so much do you care about humanity
Thanks to you, will I try my best not to give up
Always, do you have the mindset
That there is nothing to lose
And never do you mind, being imperfect
Even when there is everything to lose
You are the person, who puts a smile on my face
During my darkest times
If I emerge successful in life
Remember you I will, for sure
For inspiring me during times of strife
Never do you put on airs
Defined are you, by your humility
Totally can I relate, to your brutal honesty
Truly, are you a lioness
Perfectly fits you, does the Tamil hit song 'Badass'
You are one of the bravest Indian women
A bulwark against upper caste male **********
And in spite of the numerous activities you have been doing
Your maternal instincts continue to remain very strong
Really, are you an allrounder
And I can totally feel your righteous anger
Whenever there is even the tiniest injustice
Above all, do you dream of peace
And a much better world
Well, are you absolute gold
As far as character is concerned
Therefore, you are a person whom I've always greatly admired
Indeed, thou art my last hope
Hence, for you will I always clap
Please keep fighting and keep inspiring
And may the Lord bless you with everything
Which you have ever dreamed of!!
May 15, 2024
May 15, 2024 at 2:10 PM UTC
Were nothing to go right
You would show me the light
Because, are you a beacon of hope
Which doesn't allow anyone to mope
Really, are you that one person
Who manages to keep me sane
Even when I am surrounded by total chaos
You teach me how to find bliss
When I am trapped in a bottomless pit of despair
Thanks to you, am I able to bear
Even the worst of all situations
Much louder than your words, are your actions
You fight fire with fire
Never, do you put on airs
Underneath your hard outer shell, lies a rather soft interior
For your people, do you greatly care
Not to mention, are you extremely brave
So much is there about you, that I greatly love
You are among the greatest poets
Not to mention, the most fearless activists
About what our society thinks, you give not a ****
Even after receiving so much hate
You have shown not, any alarm
Rarely, do you take the bait
Even after endless provocation
And at the same time, you show not, any caution
Hence, by you, am I so inspired
That I feel less and less afraid
To speak my mind
Until I grow really, really old
May the Lord bless you, you fantastic human being
With anything and everything
Which you hold dear
Keep fighting, keep motivating and take care
Jai Bhim! Vaazhga Periyar!!
Aug 19, 2024
Aug 19, 2024 at 2:33 AM UTC
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!!
Feb 4, 2025
Feb 4, 2025 at 11:29 AM UTC
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!!
Jul 31, 2024
Jul 31, 2024 at 9:14 AM UTC
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!
Jan 21, 2025
Jan 21, 2025 at 12:32 PM UTC
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!!
May 14, 2024
May 14, 2024 at 12:33 AM UTC