Summary

The poem "Liar, Liar" is a reflective piece exploring themes of identity, resilience, and the transformative power of truth and fire as metaphors for personal growth and societal change.

Abstract

"Liar, Liar" delves into the personal and cultural identity of the narrator, who identifies as biracial and grapples with the complexities of their heritage and experiences. The poem conveys a narrative of strength and determination, shaped by the lessons of an immigrant father and the challenges faced, including personal loss and societal expectations. The author describes their journey through pain and self-discovery, likening it to a refining fire that reveals truth and resilience. The work also touches on broader social issues, such as the nature of real change and the power of stories, referencing historical events and figures like Gandhi and Netaji. The poem concludes with an affirmation of the narrator's integrity and the enduring fire within them, which fuels their passion and desire for authenticity.

Opinions

The narrator asserts their intelligence and challenges the perception of their character, suggesting they are underestimated.
The poem reflects on the immigrant experience and the values passed down from one generation to the next, particularly the importance of hard work and resilience.
The narrator expresses a preference for boldness and vibrancy in life, akin to their taste for spicy food and the warmth of their homeland.
There is a sentiment that true change and understanding come from intense experiences and confrontations, not just peaceful actions.
The narrator acknowledges the pain of loss and personal trials but views these as part of a greater purpose and a source of strength.
The poem suggests that the narrator's mixed racial heritage contributes to their unique perspective and voice, which they are determined to use without fear.
The author criticizes those who judge without understanding and emphasizes the importance of standing firm in one's convictions.
The poem references the ancient Tamil epic "Silappathikaram," drawing a parallel between historical injustice and the narrator's own experiences with slander and wrongful conviction.
The narrator rejects the idea that their worth or fire is diminished by others' opinions or by the passing of time and circumstances.

Liar, Liar

I’m smarter than I look and

Your face is an open book.

Sitting on the telephone wire and yelling

“She tells stories.”

Liar, liar

I’m too tired to fight with you when you won’t hear me

Paint a picture of a woman, give her my name, say you fear me

My dad is an immigrant who taught me the lessons I needed to thrive

Throw me in water, the flames lick my consciousness,

I feel the heat and I know I’m alive

Some people like loam and some people like sand

But I do my best work surrounded by fire

Scared of the sparks, back away, then

I’m doing just fine. I’m being refined.

I said “hey God, I wanna die daily,”

He asked, “are you sure,”

I said “yes”

He said “this might hurt”

When He took things away but

Even in pain, I feel blessed

My country is a land of loud colors

I don’t know how to be quiet

Americans have only ever heard of Gandhi

They don’t know that real change comes from a riot

I come from a country of loud convictions

Some people say that they’d die to be free

My life is a story that’s stranger than fiction

Netaji’s fire is what lives in me

I like the weather like I like the fire like I like my food:

Hot.

Say that you’re right, God was with me through all of it so I won’t tell you you’re

Not.

If you’ve made up your mind then I’m not gonna waste my breath

Begging you to believe that you’ve got it all wrong

I’ve come to a point in my life where my heart only gets on its knees for God

My dad worked hard when I was a kid,

I watched him go to work most days that he was sick

I credit him for my work ethic and knowing that

There is no choice but to be strong and make it

Gossip from a distance, can’t stand in their shoes

I’m finding my own voice, got nothing to lose

Growing up, we grew radishes, cooked with the leaves

What was put on the table was what we would eat

So I’ve eaten prickly bitterness and tasted and seen that God is good

And no we weren’t hurting for money, just raised to listen like children should

And to everything there is a season,

I live across the country now for a reason

But if you thought that said something about the depth of my roots

I’ve got something for you

My pigment waxes and wanes with the seasons

Because I’m biracial but that’s not a reason

To think that the fire goes out when the sun

Disappears behind a cloud

Family like fire and gasoline but

I’m grateful for the fire that lives in me

The fire that burned my last marriage to ash

Before the depths of its sin could consume me

Liar, liar

Soul on fire,

The heart of God’s law is my desire

Flames can touch the sky and higher

Fire lives inside my heart

Liar, liar

Voice from the wires

I’ll give you what you want this time

A story to top all stories, a story

Much, much older than any of mine

Liar, liar

Madurai on fire

Husband lost to the funeral pyre

Wrongful conviction killed a man and

Burned the city down

Silappathikaram, of the perum kaapiyam

That story takes the crown

City to ashes, burned to the ground

When slander killed a man

Some people don’t like that I can stand

I see you look confused

But you don’t like my spine, that, you understand

People liked me better when I was abused.

I won’t destroy what God made new

My backbone and I say it’s nice to meet you