By Dr. Archan Mehta
Viv:
Man, happy birthday,
But I can’t believe you are
Past 70 now and presumably
A shadow of your former self.
Viv:
Man, you will never
Know what your swagger
Meant to this tiny boy
Growing up in a crude,
Rustic, feudal village,
Which claimed to be
The city of Ahmedabad.
Viv:
Man, every time
I think about you,
I discover tears of
Joy in my eyes.
Viv:
Man, you demonstrated
Naked aggression at
The crease, treating fast
Bowlers and spinners alike
With equal disdain and contempt.
Viv:
Man, your arrogance and
Egotistical demeanor inspired
A generation of younger cricketers.
Viv:
Man, you are older now
And so am I, my friend,
But memories don’t age
And memories linger
Over time, and remind us
Of our golden childhood:
Watching and playing cricket
In the wild, open outdoors.
Viv:
Man, you never woreÂ
A helmet and relied on
Your instincts to hook, pull
And smash beamers and bouncers
To the fence for boundaries and sixes.
Viv:
Man, back home in India,
I noticed how your own
People, the West Indians,
Honored and celebrated your
Glorious achievements with
Their traditional and trademark,
Caribbean Calypso, with smiles
And laugher for their King of Antigua.
Viv:
Man, today the masses
Often tell me that
You are now over
The hill and past your prime,
But what do the masses
Know anyway?Â
Sometimes, nostalgia keeps
Us alive when reality is ugly.
Viv:
 Man, I want you to know
That you are my childhood
Hero, a living legend, an icon
And you will always remain
Immortal in my heart and soul.
Viv:
Man, you have crossed 70,
But 70 is just a number,
And every cricket lover
Knows that a guy like
You can never age, and
Your legacy will endure,
Rest assured, my black brother,
I salute you, Sir Vivian Richards!
*********
Dr. Archan Mehta has earned a PhD. in Management. Currently, Dr. Mehta is a Freelance Writer and Consultant based in India. Over the years, Dr. Mehta’s creative work has been featured in numerous publications in India, U.K., USA, South Africa and the Middle East. In his free time, Dr. Mehta likes to stroll in the outdoors, party with close friends, listen to music and stay on top of current events. Dr. Mehta is also fond of meditation. Please feel free to reach out to Dr. Mehta at archanm@hotmail.com
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