On The Other Hand Poem by Ananta Madhavan

This chap was known to be contentious,
We gave him the nickname, ‘Pundit Contrarian'.
He took it as a compliment, but not the ribbing
And the toil of living up to forensic expectations.
For me he was a rival who deserved to be
Brought down a peg or two. He loved heated arguments
Where he could oppose the accepted version: say,
Whether the French revolution, mark 1968,
Was or was not a real rebellion; was it a rigged revolt
Of malcontents in pluralist society. One afternoon,
A friend of mine waited for his pompous platitudes
At a debate on how to end world wars forever
And hail the advent of a golden age. One World or None.

My friend spoke next and began by praising
"Our learned orator, Dr. Contrarian".
"I am impressed that he has made the case
For my side. If he accepts and affirms
Our proposition that "Rebellion is doomed
Because the body politic must in the end
Conform or perish"; then he himself,
The arch-Contrarian, has to abdicate
His honorific title and plead to be renamed
As Pundit Conformist".

The claps trailed off and thanks were given.
The advocate of "On the other hand"
Slunk off, secretly relieved to be rid
Of his badge as a Nay-Sayer who was really
A self-contradicting Yes-man in disguise.