Skip to main content

General Madness

 


I see General Madness cracking open,

He oozes out as a pulp from a laceration,

He flows down the streets to places and people unknown.

He would crawl up new landings 

and conquers them like he did to mine years ago.

Some years back, he invaded my city of Head,

Which was on the verge of destruction by the civil war,

Between the groups of experiences and sorrows.

When General Madness came, the two creepy groups united,

made him their leader.

For years I carried a nuclear explosion in my head.

He was indifferent to the curves of my cursive letters,

And produced scribbles of a toddler,

sending out misinformation.

He conducted minor explosions, 

assuring the solidarity of other

inmates of my Land.

But most times, Capt. Heart from the left quarters was a rebel,

He filed verbal and written complaints in vain.

He persuaded the Lady Mouth 

to utter things unknown and uncouth.

She seemed an elegant lady outside,

with a smile, she was confident of,

Her son was Sir Gland who ran

a liquid factory,

which smelled differently every time to everyone.

Madness marked his territory and 

self-proclaimed his dictatorship over my property.

The rebellion of the civilians went on for years,

People from outside joined the movement,

They didn't back off at minor explosions and threats.

Firmness and determination was evident in their faces,

to reclaim their houses, 

to protect their rights,

to live freely.

After days of rebellion,

General madness started losing his manpower,

He saw its increase on the other side,

Unable to withstand, General began to withdraw,

Slowly and stealthily,

He left my landing one night.

But I saw him leaving,

Oozing out with his leftover army,

Searching for new weak landings to conquer.

And that night, the inmates of my landing slept peacefully,

after hoisting our flag and sending out messages,

Of the Freedom from General Madness!


A.C

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Revising Utharam: The Weight of Forgotten Truths

I think more than ghost stories, most people are afraid of the unknown. The  unknown when transforms into a more fearful truth can devastate a person’s entire existence. V.K Pavithran’s  1989 movie Utharam is based on Daphne Du Maurier’s short story “No Motive”. It follows Balu’s quest to uncover the truth behind the mysterious and unexpected suicide of Leena, his best friend Mathew’s wife and someone he considers family.  Balu’s investigative skills as a journalist lead him to some strange and unexpected revelations about Leena’s past. He discovers that Leena had a completely different personality and a  shocking, forgotten history. Despite being a generous person and loving wife of Mathew, Leena lived a seemingly perfect life, content and unaware of her repressed memories. Her life as a poet and a loving partner to Mathew appeared nothing short of perfection. Yet one fine day she decided to take her life in the spur of the moment.  Unlike most mystery movies ...

The Women of Rifle Club

Over the decades, Malayalam cinema has often used female characters to uphold male protagonists, reinforcing the power dynamics in favor of men. This pattern, normalized and celebrated as long as the hero “wins” the situation, has shaped narratives for years. However, in recent times, audiences have begun to unlearn this ingrained bias, recognizing it as something that needs to be critiqued rather than celebrated.  Aashiq Abu’s Rifle Club breaks away from this mold, igniting the fiery tension of a wild war in the Western Ghats. What sets this film apart is its portrayal of women— each female character is uniquely strong and layered, claiming her identity with confidence. From being mocked for being “just a woman” to owning the scene, characterisations of women in Malayalam cinema are beginning to emerge as unstoppable forces. Society often perpetuates the stereotype that women, being emotional, are inherently weaker or less stable in grave situations. Instead, the movie shows that ...

Laapataa Ladies aka Ladies Lost in Patriarchy

Kiran Rao’s “Laapataa Ladies” is a social satire that offers entertainment as well as empowerment. The movie humorously portrays the grave realities of a patriarchal society with the help of a simple story and background. As the name and the trailer suggested, it revolves around two newly married brides who get lost on the way to their in-laws’ home. While Jaya, whom Deepak accidentally brings home instead of his wife Phool, seizes this opportunity to follow her dream, Phool undergoes profound personal growth during the time. This period shows multiple women discovering themselves. Some learn to do things that they love for themselves while others learn to explore and embrace their talents.  Even though Jaya and Phool are two contradictory characters, they are both equally victims of patriarchal conditioning. While Jaya is ready to break and act against all the norms of society from the very beginning by uttering the name of her husband to everyone’s disbelief, Phool learns to do t...