So Happy Am I to Know you, Dear Comrade

This is the latest of many poems dedicated to a person I greatly admire and respect and fondly call “Comrade” – the excellent authoress, poetess, translator, academic, intersectional feminist and anti-caste activist Dr Meena Kandasamy! Here goes the content:

So happy am I to know you, Dear Comrade

And you make me so proud

An inspiration are you, for every writer

Because of your sheer passion and hunger

For changing our rather regressive society

Through accomplishment of gender equality

As well as annihilation of caste

Well, we’ll do our best to ensure your efforts don’t go to waste

By providing you a platform

And doing our bit to resist injustice in every form!!

So happy am I to know you, Dear Comrade

Many of your poems, have I read

And they have altered the way I see the world

I must say, you are insanely bold

Not to mention, thoroughly succinct

And in spite of your courageous activism

Very strong, are your maternal instincts

You’ve shown us all what is true feminism

Which, by nature, is intersectional

There are many who call you an anti-national

However, I know you really care for our people

And desire social transformation above all

Even supposing the entire country were to turn against you

I would still support you!!

So happy am I to know you, Dear Comrade

For you, will my heart always bleed

Times there are, when I lose focus

Then I think of you, and my focus somehow returns

One of the few people in the world, you are

Who can induce me to care

When I feel I am beyond caring

To me, do you mean EVERYTHING

May the force be with you, Comrade

RED SALUTE!!