My favorite U.S. presidents are Abraham Lincoln, JFK, and Jimmy Carter. Jimmy Carter's legacy is not determined by his presidency but by his life after his presidential term. His contributions to the Habitat for Humanity organization and to world peace will define his legacy.
English Translation from Tamil
The Modern Vikramadityan!
Who mocked from within?
Who mocked from within?
Each time, without fail,
Your laughter has become your craft.
Who mocked from within?
Who mocked from within?
Every time, it is the same—
Whether it is the laughter spreading
Across the vast expanse,
Or the illusions you create,
Or your intricate tales of cunning,
None of it is new to me.
Who mocked from within?
Who mocked from within?
In the layered skies of the night,
Your daring laughter echoes.
Every night, as I watch,
In the glow of the stars,
And in their strength,
I feel your presence.
Who mocked from within?
Who mocked from within?
In the vastness of spacetime, Kannamma,
I marvel at your tender heart.
In the vastness of spacetime, Kannamma,
I long to take flight, even for a moment.
In the contemplation of spacetime, Kannamma,
I dream of moments filled with joy.
Beyond the constraints of circumstance, Kannamma,
I yearn to think like him,
Who declared:
“There is no such thing as time, Kannamma,
Nor is space real in the way we perceive.”
He said only spacetime is true, Kannamma,
And I am awestruck by the heights of his wisdom.
My mind still wavers,
Unable to grasp the depths of his insights.
Tell me, Kannamma,
Have you ever wondered
How he understood it all?
I ponder this endlessly, Kannamma.
I remain in awe of it all, always, Kannamma.
Memory birds Circle around you;
I lose myself watching their flight.
The strength of your love takes hold of me,
And though I falter,
I become a bee sipping nectar
From the sweetness of your love.
That is all I need.
Memory birds Circle around you;
I lose myself watching their flight.
This story recounts the experience of a Sri Lankan Tamil refugee in the detention center in Brooklyn, New York. Ilango, a Sri Lankan Tamil refugee, fled Sri Lanka after the country's worst communal riots, known as Black July '83, to seek refuge in Canada. On his way, he was stranded in New York and ended up in the detention center.
This short novel vividly describes his experience there. It was first published as a serial in Thayagam, a Canadian Tamil newspaper, and later published by Sneha Publishers in Tamil Nadu, India, and Magudam Publishers in Sri Lanka.
This English translation was done by the well-known writer and translator Latha Ramakrishnan.
My favorite U.S. presidents are Abraham Lincoln, JFK, and Jimmy Carter. Jimmy Carter's legacy is not determined by his presidency but by...
