It's amazing how cavalier our reaction is to something so immediate and damning as environmental destruction. And as much as 2012 might be.. urr.. ahem.. a little over the top, it is again a reminder of what awaits us (sort of). And since nothing is going to stop that from happenning to us (unless Obama, Wen and others get a true brainwave), I did some thinking around as to how the world might end..
Whispers had abounded far and wide
For years about an impending divide,
That’ll end the world as we knew,
And pave way for a dawn new.
That we were greedy beyond our means,
Was a given fact, to all it seemed,
But while some hurried to right the wrongs,
Others grimaced, and carried on.
It was exactly this, that became our undoing.
For the wrongs were too many,
Efforts too less,
To stop Nature’s fury,
And clear the mess.
The judgment came in the tiniest way-
A virus which was starting to make
Millions everywhere morose and weak,
Whether woman or man, poor or rich.
It struck anyone, without reason or rhyme,
Choosing its victims scores at a time.
Scientists were baffled, confused, defeated,
“It is invincible!”- they all conceded.
For the virus was, our own creation,
Born from our filth and our pollution.
This phantom, leaving no trace behind,
Delivered the blow of the worst kind,
People fell at its feet by thousands,
Those left behind prayed to the heavens.
Yet in all this confusion and melee,
Some enlightened souls could see,
We had no choice, it was too late-
Disregard for nature had sealed our fate.
Now, in this quiet, as God’s creatures
Live together in peace under the sun,
He revels in the peace and calm,
Relieved, justice is finally done.
Haven't named it yet. But 2012 sounds good, if not hopeful.
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Poor Humpty.
Uhh, okay. One of those days when I log in unthinkingly and what follows is.. *shifts feet and looks around, not knowing what to do*
So I ruminate a lot, and throw up whatever I can.
Humpty Dumpty sat on wall,
He wanted to see the world,
His wish that was all.
In the big wide world
he could see beyond,
He wanted to make something
and call it his own.
But all the King's horsemen
would not let this be,
In a kingdom like this
nobody should dream.
They tugged him and pulled him,
down the wall, through the dirt,
His head started to swim
they gave a nod curt.
Poor Humpty was dismayed-
he was broken into pieces!
He raised his head to wail,
But suddenly he could see clear,
Through his tears-
The horsemen were broken too!
And so in his 'pieceful' kingdom
forever the King ruled.
So I ruminate a lot, and throw up whatever I can.
Humpty Dumpty sat on wall,
He wanted to see the world,
His wish that was all.
In the big wide world
he could see beyond,
He wanted to make something
and call it his own.
But all the King's horsemen
would not let this be,
In a kingdom like this
nobody should dream.
They tugged him and pulled him,
down the wall, through the dirt,
His head started to swim
they gave a nod curt.
Poor Humpty was dismayed-
he was broken into pieces!
He raised his head to wail,
But suddenly he could see clear,
Through his tears-
The horsemen were broken too!
And so in his 'pieceful' kingdom
forever the King ruled.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Rahman, Slumdog & Co
Slumdog Millionaire has won 8 Oscars. Reams of articles have been written about it. And I feel obliged to join the bandwagon, especially since I am an Indian. So here's what I feel about this phenomenon that has flooded at least 4 full pages of my newspaper today (and that's just the main section.)
1) Seriously overhyped. It's an English movie directed by a British director, that has won recognition at an awards ceremony meant for English movies. But the people behind Oscars should be giving out marketing lessons on how to convert such a niche award (globally speaking) to something which has captivated the hearts of people worldover, more so in India.
2) It is NOT an Indian movie. Yet the media here seems to be touting it as such. True, the cast and the technical crew might be made up of Indians, but it is strictly a foreign production.
3) I, as an Indian, am not offended by the content shown in the film. Everything shown in it does exist, from poverty, to filth, to communal riots, yes- it's all true. In fact, an Indian film, Traffic Signal, too had a similar subject central to it's plot (No wonders that didn't have full frontpages dedicated to it). The one-sided depiction of India might be criticized, but there is something called creative liberty.
4) I will not point fingers at our film industry, to ask how come a foreign director made a film on our country and won Oscars for it while none of the people here could. Firstly, the credentials of the Oscars as the ultimate recognition for any movie in the world is questionable. Also, it seems since the film was made through a Westerner's perspective, it appealed to the Western audiences. It is something like a war movie made on the middle Eastern countries, or a human rights movies made in Africa- it caters to the Western cliches. Personally, for me the film didn't work, nor does it seem to have set the box offices on fire here.
5) What it has done, is given recognition to people outside Hollywood, which I think is commendable.
6) Finally, I don't think Jai Ho! is Rahman's finest song. There are scores of songs he has made, which are much better than this. Of course, I am happy for the international recognition he is getting now, but we've been calling him the Mozart of Madras much before Jai Ho went from being political party workers' favorite words to a mainstream refrain. Some of my favourites are Azeemoshaan Shahenshah (Jodha Akbar), Jungle mein bole (Taal) and Yun hi chalaa (Swades). My current fav, of course, is from Ghajini:
1) Seriously overhyped. It's an English movie directed by a British director, that has won recognition at an awards ceremony meant for English movies. But the people behind Oscars should be giving out marketing lessons on how to convert such a niche award (globally speaking) to something which has captivated the hearts of people worldover, more so in India.
2) It is NOT an Indian movie. Yet the media here seems to be touting it as such. True, the cast and the technical crew might be made up of Indians, but it is strictly a foreign production.
3) I, as an Indian, am not offended by the content shown in the film. Everything shown in it does exist, from poverty, to filth, to communal riots, yes- it's all true. In fact, an Indian film, Traffic Signal, too had a similar subject central to it's plot (No wonders that didn't have full frontpages dedicated to it). The one-sided depiction of India might be criticized, but there is something called creative liberty.
4) I will not point fingers at our film industry, to ask how come a foreign director made a film on our country and won Oscars for it while none of the people here could. Firstly, the credentials of the Oscars as the ultimate recognition for any movie in the world is questionable. Also, it seems since the film was made through a Westerner's perspective, it appealed to the Western audiences. It is something like a war movie made on the middle Eastern countries, or a human rights movies made in Africa- it caters to the Western cliches. Personally, for me the film didn't work, nor does it seem to have set the box offices on fire here.
5) What it has done, is given recognition to people outside Hollywood, which I think is commendable.
6) Finally, I don't think Jai Ho! is Rahman's finest song. There are scores of songs he has made, which are much better than this. Of course, I am happy for the international recognition he is getting now, but we've been calling him the Mozart of Madras much before Jai Ho went from being political party workers' favorite words to a mainstream refrain. Some of my favourites are Azeemoshaan Shahenshah (Jodha Akbar), Jungle mein bole (Taal) and Yun hi chalaa (Swades). My current fav, of course, is from Ghajini:
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