The History behind the History

The first time I got interested in history was...

You are not going to believe it.

By playing Age of Empires II demo when I was really young, I don't remember exactly, maybe third I think.

The demo had only Learn to Play. I followed the story with real zeal. In fact, knowing the next part of the story was a welcome bonus and I often wonder, which gave me more pleasure, the “You are victorious', or the next part of the story. Even as I write, the Scottish accent fills my head with phrases like “Edward Longshanks, the avaricious king of Scotland” or “We are without a leader, the dead king of Scotland has no heir”.

The story of William Wallace. The game gives you the taste of unorganised Scotland before the entry of our hero. What I really liked was the inclusiveness you felt. William Wallace is their messiah bearing the torch of hope against oppression and subjugation. His battle techniques were quite unusual with wooden pikes to cover for their lack of cavalry. The Battle of Sterling and the Battle of Falkirk are covered. Of course, history tells us that William lost the Battle of Falkirk due to treachery whereas the campaign leaves with the victory over the English castle. The brutal quartering follows for our hero. The cause is taken up, twenty years later by Robert Bruce and Scotland wins.

The interest embedded was quite mild at that time. It really took off after this incident. My parents were seeing one of those English-dubbed-in-Tamil movies (Some of them are quite hilarious, Jackie Chan says “Naa singam, Nee asingam”). I sat down, with a familiar feeling. As I followed the story, I told them, “This is sort of like the game I play...” and I rambled on in my usual manner quite oblivious to their downright ignoring when

“and his name is William Wallace”.

“William Wallace” screamed the TV.

My parents were pleasantly surprised. “How on Earth did you know?”. “Its in my game...” And soon I had recited the whole story again. I got everyone excited and our entire family was a treasure trove of information on medieval Scotland. After that, it was no turning back. History was one of my favourite subjects.

My very first presentation was on William Wallace.

Me

I was just thinking if I had to describe myself in computer terms, how I would do it. Here goes:

I'm a single-tasking, hyper-threading, multi-core microprocessor with teraflops speed and terabytes of memory.

The Sorting Hat

It all started when I saw the first HP trailer and loved it so much. I later got Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets and from then on, its no turning back.

I'm obsessed.

My Mother

Happy birthday dearest mother. Today

let me use my own way with words to lay

those thoughts on paper that I have never

had an apt chance to express. You’re clever,

kind, beautiful, generous and all good

things put together. Even when in mood

to scream at me, even when I display

my displeasure, the harshness leaves in a way

incomprehensible to others. Thank

you ma, for trusting me like friends. Many thanks

for being there for me always. In rain,

or storm, you’re always a call away. It’s vain

attempt to hold you away when I’m ill. I know

you worry ‘cause you love me. Please know

that I love you so much too. That’s why I don’t

mind calling you a hundred times. I don’t

mind being told off for silly things. Not never,

it does rouse a tiny tongue of temper

sometimes. But your obvious care shines bright

through your cross face that I do what’s right.

You’re the one who stood by me all the time.

You’re the one who taught me to stand for what’s right.

You told me to knock the ‘t’ off the can’t.

You’ve helped me shake off my won’ts.

You’ve helped me come to terms with my faults.

You’ve always had high expectations of my potential vault.

You taught me to love learning and thinking

You never said no to my endless questioning.

You’ve taught me to be loving and caring.

You’ve taught me to be smart yet understanding.

You taught me to hope when I was in despair.

You gave me sympathy when no one else cared.

You told to dream yet be real.

You told me to be a boy yet be a girl.

To others, these may seem contradictions,

But to a fellow Libran, these are perfect instructions!

One of the first words I learnt was mother.

I really don’t think there is a more beautiful other.

.

Jobless and Jolted

I am so dismayed,

at the news I heard today.

Although it should have made my day,

alas! I cannot have my way.

It is sad that my foray

into the blogging domain,

should make these poems not have a say

in my portfolio. So good day,

my next three poems will be away

from this space until the fear of disqualification is at bay.

My Dear 猿

こんにちは。

On the Ides of last August

arrived someone to whom I must

dedicate my words of song

and hope that they belong

to one of her favourites.

She is a very spirited

soul, sometimes misunderstood.

To list her successes would

fill books, yet it was not that

facet that drew me, just that

I wanted to know her more. She

then removed the mask for me

and I can honestly say

that has indeed made my day.

She is a remarkably

selfless person who ably

assists me in my distress.

The one thing which has impressed

me much is her lack of ego.

She can take advice and let go

so easily. Self - esteem

is so high, nearly a dream.

Even though she's so deep, she's so

childish as well. That's so

great 'cause we share so much

together. Laughs, giggles and lunch.

Secrets, jokes, messages and

more. I never thought me and

my best friend would get along

so well. Our jokes to belong

only to ourselves. I'm glad

she likes my stories and had

given a ear to all of my

worries. She is different, my

dear honourable reader,

yet she is the same. We're enantiomers.

Non-superimposable mirror images!

さようなら。

Beauty and the Beast

My teeth may not be perfect, yet I smile...
My laugh may not be sweet, yet I'll oblige...
My handwriting may not be great, yet I write...
My singing may not be beautiful, yet I try...
My walk may be ludicrous, yet I run...
My sense of humour may be in delay, yet I have fun....

Because...

However ugly my characteristics may be,
There is a bit of my beautiful soul in these actions you see.