Oasis, for those readers who don’t know, is the cultural festival organized by the student community at BITS, Pilani, held in the month of October or November. Oasis 2017 was held this week at Pilani, and I have never missed Pilani and its people more than I did this week. This came as weird shock to me, considering I have never liked Oasis, and have even critiqued it quite vocally for its many faults. I think these periodic shocks are pretty amazing ways to identify what matters to you the most. True, I hated Oasis, but I realized I was in love with the idea of it - four complete days of being with people most special to me, and creating memories. Also, memories, dear reader, are bitches.

But I don’t really feel like ruminating all my Pilani related thoughts today. So, very conveniently, I managed to stumble on a poem I had written in 2009. I wrote it as an entry for my school magazine, and my cousin also plagiarized it in her school magazine. Anyway, this is probably the only poem written in my school days I am still in possession of.

You might think the poem would be an early teenager’s angst about society. No, it wasn’t! It was a hagiographic poem about Barack Obama. I still do not recollect why I chose Obama as my subject; maybe I will remember it someday. Given below, is the full-text of the poem, unedited. Please take a moment to smile at my forced rhymes, and stupid poetry.

Barack Hussein Obama

O America, a wonderful gift you have got
A person, vibrant, challenging and hot
Known by people near and far
By the person of Barack Hussein Obama.

Though an African-American you are
‘Change’ you will bring to the world
You indeed have becpome a star
With steps humble and pearled.

Through all barriers boldly you stood
Undergoing troubled times, bitter and rude
You showed the world through pure simplicity
‘Change’ you will be in the world for good.

O Obama, it’s now that you say
Arise, O America, call it a day
Bring joy to the shattered
And hope to the hopeless
Love to the lonely
And employment for the jobless
Enrich other countries to build a new world
Where joy will never cease
And all around will be pure peace.

May your agenda be to help
Fight poverty and terrorism
To let the poor and weak countries grow
And bridge nations with peace and harmony
Build bridges over troubled lands
And in friendship join friendly hands.