Albert Einstein 79 - Made Fun By People Poem by Geeta Radhakrishna Menon

There were days in Princeton,
When Einstein was made fun of by varied people,
That included reporters, children and general public.
There were cartoonists too, who made caricatures of his figure
Face and his hair flying all around in a dishevelled fashion.

Dr. Einstein was called an eccentric by the critics.
They made derogatory remarks of his dressing style.
And were judgemental of his unconventional behaviour.
Einstein was such a modest and grounded man that
He often forgot that he was a world- renowned scientist.
He did not believe in pleasing the society with gimmicks.
He remained simple and casual in his attire,
Undisturbed by people, their views and comments.

Sometimes, Dr. Einstein walked around the town,
Greeting people or eating an ice cream.
He greeted all people warmly and cordially,
Be it a vendor, barber or a carpenter.
He was particularly endeared by little children
And stopped to enjoy a friendly chat with them.
But all these little acts of kindness were misinterpreted
By people as a kind of stupidity or madness.

The Press reporters and cartoonists had great fun
Publishing his pictures in funny postures and caricatures.
His clothes were crumpled and he often wore an old leather jacket.
His photo with ruffled hair was a regular feature of the newspapers.
When the ‘Time Magazine' featured him as the "Man of the Century'
Even then, he wore an old sweat shirt with a pen perched on his collar.
That was Dr. Einstein, never, ever bothered about his appearance,
He remained, most unassuming uninhibited and unrestrained.

Unfortunately, we live in a world of superficiality.
Anything that glitters outwardly is considered
Glamourous, fashionable and modern.
The hidden goodness of a man and nobility
Is ridiculed, criticized and judged by people.

A Biographical Poem