Check if you are a Tamil
To be a Tamil, to be born to Tamils
And to speak Tamil as mother tongue
Aren’t alone a sufficient proof.
You must speak vowels tearing apart and
With nouns in English and verbs in Tamil.
You must have a hero higher than God
And read, if at all, the news of movies.
You will do public nuisances at length
And must be insensitive to them.
You shall respect Tamil and ignore Tamils.
You celebrate festivals by watching
In TV Tamil debates and stars’ talks.
You seek south Indian restaurants abroad.
Then you can boast you are a true Tamil.
19.10.2008
poem by Rm. Shanmugam Chettiar
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Related quotes
Classical Tamil World Conference (Semmozhi Tamizh Ulaga Manadu)
Through you, I came, Mother;
Lucky was my birth in Bharat, my Motherland;
I was nurtured and grew up by mother’s milk;
I drew strength from my mother’s love.
I knew the world through my mother-tongue;
I learnt most things by mother-tongue;
Thanks to my dear earthly mother;
Thanks to my Mother, Tamil!
The place where I was born was Tamilnadu;
Tamil is my mother-tongue;
Tamil was my first breath;
My first cry was in Tamil.
My last breath shall be Tamil;
My life will be for Tamil;
I am proud of my mother-tongue, Tamil;
I am proud to be a Tamilian!
Tamil is a great language;
Tamil is a popular language;
Tamil is an ancient language;
Tamil is a classical language.
Tamil is a world language;
Tamil is a language of Gods!
Dedicated to ‘Classical Tamil World Conference,2010, Coimbatore’
Copyright by Dr John Celes 23-06-2010
poem by John Celes
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Culture Diffuses By Osmosis.
Tamils settled in Kerala
Feel shy to speak Tamil
And want to hide their race
From their tongue and looks.
.
Tamil Brahmins proudly use it.
They keep it as their mother tongue.
They speak, sing and dance in Tamil,
Generation after generation.
Tamils, save Brahmins, are held as black.
In a culture, inferior dissolves in the superior.
10.11.2002
poem by Rm. Shanmugam Chettiar
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Tamil New Year Day,2009
Today is ‘Tamil New Year Day’ –
A day of joy and happiness,
That fills the hearts of Tamilians,
Wherever they may be, they say!
Let Tamil foster friendship, love;
Let Tamil ignite hearts and minds;
Let Tamil bring new hope to all;
Let Tamil thrive and fill the world!
Let Tamil serve not to divide;
Let Tamil bond only unite;
Let Tamil grow in leaps and bounds;
Let Tamil live to make all live!
Let wars all cease and peace prevail;
Let love of brethren become prime;
Let Tamils live with dignity;
Let Tamil rule the world some day!
Fondly dedicated to Tamilians all over the world!
Copyright by Dr John Celes 4-14-2009
poem by John Celes
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
A tribute to M. Karunanithi
You stood for Tamil and for Tamils.
You did well for them a long while.
In you runs Tamil blood, not an Aryan’s.
You are who made Tamil to its throne.
You are who weeded Tamil clean.
Paradoxically you are out thrown.
Who can beat you in oratory skill?
You are a caste-less, religion-less jewel.
The one who weeded Tamil was weeded of Tamils.
The presence of mind is out of presence.
Once you were thrown for an intruder.
Now you are thrown for an invader.
You were not thrown for misdeeds.
You were thrown by caste and creed.
You were not shut for ineptitude.
Then why had you been an outright reject?
Sheep do not want a sheep as their master.
Slaves do not want a brethren as their master.
Sheep mind not the master slaughtering.
Slaves worry not the master plundering.
Both want a merciless hand to rule over,
In whom the slavery is bravery.
Tamils hail Tamil but not Tamils.
How can you expect their granary?
Emotion rides where the rational slides.
If a bone is given, the tail is shown.
It is sad that you were born a Tamil.
Tragic events with a happy end-
Happy events with a tragic end:
I weep you are slated as vagabond
Though you entail a peaceful end.
I suggest you denounce politics.
27.05.2001, Pmdi
poem by Rm. Shanmugam Chettiar
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Soul Speaks Mother Tongue
He read English books and write English poem
Throughout his carrier and yet heart in heart
He enjoys hearing and singing songs in Tamil.
He shouts in Tamil and cries in Tamil.
The inner self speaks only in mother tongue.
One feels at ease only in mother tongue.
poem by Rm. Shanmugam Chettiar
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
A true Of universal
Some budy
Told
I am india...N...
S ome budy told...
Some time i am indian...
On school
Prayer time time told
I am indian...
But...
I did not feel
Indian...
India is
my birth place
ok...
But...
I am not a indian...
Why...?
I am...
I did not write hindhi...
I am Live in tamil nadu state
My mother also speak in tamil...
Sourindings peopls all are
Speak tamil...
So...
I am not a indian...
It is very poor word for me...
I am tamilan...
It is ok...
For me...
But...
This think also
Not good...
I am a one of world city zen...
That always unversel true...
Thats i want...
Thats i love and like...
poem by Otteri Selvakumar
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
When My country helps integrate another nationality
when integration becomes
another nation's task
my assamese friend talks
with my tamil nadu friend
in my country's language
to get to each other
It seems that the people in Tamil Nadu, southern india would only speak tamil though hindi is the national language. so when somebody from other parts of india meet with them, they have to either converse in english or in another country's language. quite a strange status quo isnt it?
poem by John Tiong Chunghoo
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
The accustomed to are sweet.
Srilankan tamils aren’t comfortable
With Tamil accent of Tamils
As Indians are with the English of English.
The accustomed, though deformed, is sweet.
16.09.2004
poem by Rm. Shanmugam Chettiar
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Prathibha Cauvery
To Tamil Nadu
Karnataka denied Cauvery.
To Tamil Nadu
cyclone Nilam
brought Prathibha Cauvery!
It was with Tamil Nadu
for eleven days
from 31st October 2012
regaling the people
from far and near.
Now it too has been salvaged!
poem by Chandra Thiagarajan
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
A money-order to Tamil Nadu
The software to write and read
Inside his cranium not installed.
Before me, his Tamil heart placed,
Which through Malayalam saw I,
As if in a mist; as pleaded,
The money-order form I filled
For the labourer came state border crossed.
His cell phone had chirped incessantly,
And he borrowed shamelessly.
A Desdemona, or a Lady Macbeth? Mind's vacuum it dropped.
Rupees had brought smile on her lips,
Beyond the sight beheld I,
As the sun appeared
Out of dark clouds.
(Tamil Nadu -a neighbouring state of Kerala, India
Tamil - spoken in Tamil Nadu.Malayalam - spoken in Kerala.
These languages are closely related)
poem by Fabiyas M V
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Classical Tamil
Yes, Tamil has got classical status
Because it is an ancient language great,
That lives and grows midst people globally,
Enchanting, enthralling all equally.
Yes, Tamil makes the Tamilian proud,
And the culture of India to look great,
Amusing scholars of the modern world
Through songs, and dramas; films and poetry.
Yes, Tamil has a history that is old,
And spoken by ten crores of people well,
And makes its progress in a rapid pace,
And has a future that is promising!
Yes, Tamil perhaps could be Gods’ language,
With untold beauty, grandeur and glory,
That holds many a heart dumbfounded with
Immortal works of priceless heritage.
Dedicated to Tamil Chemmozhi Manadu, June,2010
Copyright by Dr John Celes 9-6-2010
poem by John Celes
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
India, a loosely knitted kingdom.
We’re proud of India, not of being Indian.
A tamil likes more a Srilankan tamil.
A Bengali loves a Bangladeshi more.
A muslim has his soul in Pakistan.
Indians are a sack of gooseberries.
24.08.2001, Pakd
poem by Rm. Shanmugam Chettiar
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
First Encounter - P Shushila
Tamil Nadhu Queen of Song
it is so difficult to
forget those two eyes
Tamil Nadhu Queen of Song
the eyes so telling
of her calibre
first met in the 1980s when she came with a large Indian group comprising a lot of famous stars to perform at the Putra World Trade Center.
poem by John Tiong Chunghoo
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Tamils and Tamil
All the villages connect to their town
And poorly connect one another.
All the Tamils hail Tamil
But ignores one another.
Villages and Tamils will not progress
27.02.2000, Palakkad
poem by Rm. Shanmugam Chettiar
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
An Inspiring Officer in Indian Administration
I bow my head to Iraianbu
the honest officer with a lot of nerve
and a wonderful descendent
of a glorious galaxy of writers
like Maraimalaiar and Pavanar.
He thinks deep and wide
and speaks in Chaste Tamil
and in fluent, flexible English.
He creates works of eternity
to offer at the feet of our Mother Tamil.
Losing touch with our Mother tongue
we struggle to go deep in other tongue
and sommer try to come out with some pearls
which would tell the world
a circle of novices in Chennai
are knitting sweet-smelling flowers
into colourful garlands
for the world-tongue to wear
with sheer pleasure in abundant measure.
poem by Rajendran Muthiah
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
On Authors, Critics and Readers
Some leave behind a hard-won name
Others only fame
A few the sweat and tears of their passage
Snatched from the rigours of their age
Yet none the folly of the game
Fiction is licensed perjury
The coward's excuse for character
Courage revelation originality veracity
All conspire to make for a writer
All mirrors distort
Reviewers like haïr-dressers retort
And mistake the fall of water for the harp
A mere critic can only carp
If what you see is repugnant
close your ever envious eyes
and you'll even see in darkness
and the reason for your blindness
(© T. Wignesan, Paris - 2006. Pub. in T. Wignesan. Rama and Ravana at the Altar of Hanuman: on Tamils, Tamil Literature and Tamil Culture. Chennai: Institute of Asian Studies,2006 & Allahabad: Cyberwit.net,2008.)
poem by T. Wignesan
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Happy Tamil New Year,2012
May the Tamil New Year twenty twelve bring
Peace, prosperity, happiness to all
Tamils living around the globe this day.
May Tamilians work hard for self and their state,
Country and world in all their endeavours;
And realize their dreams for kith, kin, brethren.
May love of life and human values guide them;
May they keep their rich cultural heritage;
May they place God above their earthly wants.
May God bless their homes, work-place, families;
May they make the world a better place for all;
May they bring glory to their Motherland!
"Happy Tamil New Year,2012! "
Copyright by Dr John Celes 13-04-'12
poem by John Celes
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Be Loyal To The Native
Immigrants integrated with the natives,
have lost identity and enmity.
Immigrants segregated from the natives.
have kept identity and enmity.
Tamils not knowing their language in Mauritius
Live in harmony, getting no prejudice.
Tamils with Tamil intact in Sri Lanka
Live in tension with the majority.
poem by Rm. Shanmugam Chettiar
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
DR KALAIGNAR M. KARUNANIDHI (An Acrostic)
Lovingly dedicated to our beloved Chief Minister of Tamilnadu,
On his birthday,03-06-2010
Dravidian Movement leader of great repute
Ryot by birth and writer in Tamil of scripts and songs
Known for his eloquence in Tamil oration
Author of many Tamil books of high literary quality
Lover of Tamil language and culture and Lyricist
A rare human being who made India and Tamilnadu proud
Inferno that burned off the caste and creed differences amongst Tamilians
Genius and generous giver of awards and rewards for deserving artistes and achievers
Newspaper founder and editor
Anjugam’s son
Renowned erudite Chief Minister of Tamilnadu
Muthuvel’s son; Mayor of Chennai; MLA; MISA detenu;
Keeper of words and promises
Arrested on many occasions on political grounds and for spear-heading social causes
Reputed and revolutionary Indian Tamilian statesman
Unbiased but shrewd politician
Notable legislator
Anti-hindi agitationist
Natural poet-playwright and story-writer
Imprisoned for political reasons
Doctor of Philosophy
Heart of kindness and humaneness
Indian Tamilian patriot, who adored the sacred soil of the Motherland
Copyright by Dr John Celes 03-06-2010
poem by John Celes
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Sleep well
A trade man fails to sleep;
An artist forgets to sleep;
An enemy fears to sleep;
Be content to sleep well.
An insane fail to think;
A criminal forgets to think;
A debtor fears to think.
Be calm to think well.
A blind fails to see;
An idiot forgets to see;
A lazy one shelves to see.
Be open to see well.
05.01.2010
[ inspired by a tamil verse written by m/s T. Shanmugapriya, B.Com. I year, Muthayamma Arts College, Rasipuram, Tamil Nadu ]
poem by Rm. Shanmugam Chettiar
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!