On Raghu’s exit : Starry Starry
I say farewell to a man I admired a lot Raghuram Rajan with a spoof of “Starry Starry Night” (original at the end)
**
Slimy, Swamy’s fight
You’re dressed in blue and gray
Calling it quits on a rainy day
With eyes that know the darkness in his soul
Signing on the bills
Cuttin’ the rates and forex fills
You do the work and the PMO chills
He says you’re from a foreign land
Now I understand
What you tried to tell Modi
And how you suffered for your sanity
And how you tried to set us all free
They would not listen, they did not know how
Perhaps they’ll listen now
Arun ain’t so bright,
From fragile five to brightly blaze
Swirling rupees in violet haze
Reflect in Raghu’s eyes of banker’s blue
Colours changing hue
Why did you speak against the grain
Why did you take that ass-in-the-pain
Why didn’t you hold the Master’s wrinkled hand
Now I understand
Why you bothered Swamy
And how you suffered for your sanity
And how you tried to be the brighty
They would not listen, they did not know how
They’re only Gujjus from Vadnagar gaav
For they could not love you
But still your love was true
And when no hope was left in sight
On that bigoted, blinded right
You took your life, as bankers often do
But I could’ve told you Raghu
This country was never meant for
One as intelligent as you
Starry, starry night
Portraits hung in empty halls
RBI heads on nameless walls
With eyes that watch the economy and can’t forget
Like the fools that you’ve met
The saffron men in customized clothes
Debts were recovered, the sensex that rose
Lie crushed and broken in this after-glow
Now I think I know
What you tried to say to us
And how you suffered for your sanity
And why you created all this fuss
They would not listen, they’re not listening still
Perhaps they never will
**
Starry, starry night
Paint your palette blue and gray
Look out on a summer’s day
With eyes that know the darkness in my soul
Shadows on the hills
Sketch the trees and the daffodils
Catch the breeze and the winter chills
In colors on the snowy linen land
Now I understand
What you tried to say to me
And how you suffered for your sanity
And how you tried to set them free
They would not listen, they did not know how
Perhaps they’ll listen now
Starry, starry night
Flaming flowers that brightly blaze
Swirling clouds in violet haze
Reflect in Vincent’s eyes of china blue
Colors changing hue
Morning fields of amber grain
Weathered faces lined in pain
Are soothed beneath the artist’s loving hand
Now I understand
What you tried to say to me
And how you suffered for your sanity
And how you tried to set them free
They would not listen, they did not know how
Perhaps they’ll listen now
For they could not love you
But still your love was true
And when no hope was left in sight
On that starry, starry night
You took your life, as lovers often do
But I could’ve told you Vincent
This world was never meant for
One as beautiful as you
Starry, starry night
Portraits hung in empty halls
Frame-less heads on nameless walls
With eyes that watch the world and can’t forget
Like the strangers that you’ve met
The ragged men in ragged clothes
The silver thorn of bloody rose
Lie crushed and broken on the virgin snow
Now I think I know
What you tried to say to me
And how you suffered for your sanity
And how you tried to set them free
They would not listen, they’re not listening still
Perhaps they never will