Poem: Wake up, super human! By V.N.Giritharan

- Composed and sung by AI SUNO. | Art ny AI -

This is the translation of my Tamil poem written in the eighties, later published in Thayagam (Canada) and in e-magazines Pathivukal and Thinnai. It is also included in my first anthology of poems published by Mangai Pathippagam.

Poem: Wake up, super human!  By V.N.Giritharan

Concrete! Concrete! Concrete!

Walls! Radiating heat and burning with intensity,
The smooth, deceptive white surfaces.

Sidewalks of cement that wear a mocking grin.

Spaces lie entranced, embraced by fearless pillars.

In the filtration of air currents,
Flowing warm rays.
In the playful laughter of frost droplets,
The chill sweeps through,
Amid the sweetness of dreams about meadows,
Underneath the blue canvas,
Lie the sorrowful memories
Of the cold earth mother.

Poem: Ontario Science Centre: The Cool Breeze of the Concrete Jungle!

- Recently, Ontario's Minister of Infrastructure, Kinga Surma, abruptly closed the Ontario Science Centre without any prior notice due to the condition of the roof. This poem reflects the impact of that closure. -

You are not just a land mark.
You are not just an architectural marvel.
You are an experience intertwined
With the lives of the  people,
You are an emotional mosaic.

You have been a mentor to us.
You have been a friend to us.
You have been a magician showing us wonders.
You have been an artist bringing us joy.

You are the cool breeze
In the heat-emitting concrete jungle.

Ontario Science Centre: An Iconic Building, Architectural Gem, and Great Landmark That Should Be Preserved No Matter What!

 

Our honourable Minister of Infrastructure, Kinga Surma said the Ontario Science Centre had to be closed abruptly because the roof was no longer safe. Public safety was her primary concern. However, based on various reports and experts' opinions, this was not the case. The building was not in imminent danger, and the exhibition could have continued. The Centre was also a good choice for a temporary location. So why did the minister panic the public? Only she knows. 

She is the minister responsible for the closure. She should have consulted with experts, the public, and the architects who designed the iconic building. Then she should have informed her superiors of her decision on this matter. She should have stood up and said loudly that this structure should be saved no matter what.

Why did the provincial parliament abruptly close the Ontario Science Centre?

Why did the provincial parliament abruptly close the Ontario Science Centre? I don't understand the government's logic behind this closure. In my view, the main reason for the centre's closure is developers' greed. The Crosstown railway is about to open after many delays. Due to this railway line, the land value around the Science Centre is skyrocketing. If you see what's going on in its proximity, it becomes clear that this is the main reason. IBM Canada (later Celestica) has moved out, and residential construction has been underway for the past few years. Nearby, the Don Valley Golf Course shows signs of future development. Many residential apartments around the centre are likely to meet the same fate in the future. I feel for the poor residents living there.

According to the late Raymond Moriyama, a Canadian architect who designed the centre, it could last over 250 years with proper management (as stated in his letter published in the Toronto Star).

A Global Citizen's View: The West and Changing Global Realities!

The West must evolve with the times. Instead, they stick to a Cold War mentality. Their actions create unnecessary wars. One example is the Russia-Ukraine war. Ukraine was part of Russia during the Cold War. After the USSR collapsed, Ukraine became independent but still borders Russia. The West should not have interfered in the politics there. They did interfere, and what happened? Russia invaded Ukraine, and the war is still ongoing. 

Instead of addressing Russia's concerns, the West keeps escalating the situation. In the end, the opposite of what was intended happened. Now the world is divided into NATO and BRICS. The US dollar is losing its dominance as the world's major currency. The Russian leader enjoys significant support among many developing countries, including those in Africa and the Middle East. The people of Western countries are suffering the most, paying high prices for oil and essential items. Whenever the world changes, you must be ready to adapt to those changes. Many businesses have disappeared in history because they did not adapt to the changes of their time

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Affordable Housing

Trudeau says home prices must remain high. It's not the right advice. In my point of view, before he became the Prime Minister of Canada, the price of a house was somewhat affordable. Anyone could buy a 4-bedroom detached house in the GTA for under $600k. Now, the price of a similar house is over $1.5 million. In ten years, it increased by around a million dollars. This is unaffordable. If he wants to make housing affordable again, the price of a similar house should be at least under $800k. Instead, he wants to keep home prices in an unaffordable range.

Why has this happened?

    Uncontrolled immigration (legal immigrants and international students)
    Keeping the record low interest rate for too long
    Home buyers' greed
    Not building enough rental units (including affordable ones)
    New technologies like Airbnb

Now, the young generation can't start their lives as their predecessors did. Their income is not enough to buy a house at the current high prices. Low-income workers will never be able to buy any house at these prices unless their income increases to over $140k.

A Global Citizen's Concerns About the Polarized Current World

One thing I don't understand is why not only extremist Jewish people but also ordinary Jewish people, from billionaires to US congressmen, journalists, and ordinary citizens, don't see the loss of innocent Palestinian lives in the current Israel-Gaza conflict. I am not talking about progressive Jewish people of the world. I admire them. Many Jewish scientists, philosophers, writers, and artists have provided and continue to provide valuable contributions to the world. We are all grateful to them.

Whenever I watch a video on the net or read a news article, I notice they only talk about Hamas' killings of innocent Jewish people on October 7th, 2023. They always justify the killings of over 34,000 Palestinian people and the destruction of Gaza. They don't even acknowledge the suffering of millions of Palestinian people. Why?

What Hamas did was wrong. What the state of Israel and its settlers did to the Palestinian people for many years, including the ones in the current conflict, is wrong.

Jewish people and Palestinian people should coexist peacefully. That is the only solution which benefits both. The international community wants that. All peace-loving people of this tiny planet want that. Both of your groups are small parts of this world. Your antagonistic actions shouldn't disturb the harmony of the world.