Archive · 28 Aug 2026
Poems Revisit Icons, History, Love, Grief, and Exclusion
These poems ask readers to look past famous names and symbols to see the people behind them.
One poem honors Babasaheb by imagining his childhood, interests, struggles, and lasting influence.
Another imagines what Shih Huang Ti may have felt while trying to erase the past.
A poem about Nietzsche creates a different version of his life and relationships.
“adagio” says meeting someone can matter more than writing about them.
“Poem for a Meme” explains that happiness can take effort, while sadness can arrive unexpectedly.
The poems also show how people learn to live with pain.
Together, they question how history is remembered and who gets included.
Chanchal Kumar’s poems humanize Babasaheb by imagining his life beyond the public icon.
The poems revisit historical figures including Shih Huang Ti and Friedrich Nietzsche through intimate questions and alternate histories.
“adagio” places personal connection above writing a poem about a loved one.
“Poem for a Meme” compares the pursuit of happiness with Sisyphus pushing his rock.
The collection excerpt includes works published in Welter and Name and None, alongside an award-winning poem from Young Poets Network.
- Who
- The poems are by Chanchal Kumar and refer to figures including Babasaheb, Shih Huang Ti, Friedrich Nietzsche, Lou Andreas-Salomé, and Jean Genet.
- What
- A selection of poems challenges cultural and historical exclusions by humanizing icons and exploring memory, love, happiness, and grief.
- When
- The works appeared or received recognition between 2018 and 2019; the excerpt is from The Peacock-Eaters.
- Where
- The poems were published or recognized through Welter, the University of Baltimore, Name and None, and Young Poets Network in the UK.
- Why
- They seek to look beyond public legends, question erased or selective histories, and understand personal experience through poetry.
- Author
- Chanchal Kumar
- Book
- The Peacock-Eaters
- Featured historical figure
- Babasaheb, presented as a person beyond his public icon
- 2018 publication
- “The First Emperor” was first published in Welter, a University of Baltimore journal.
- 2019 publication
- “Poem” originally appeared in Issue 3 of Name and None and was a finalist for its prize.
- 2019 recognition
- “Poem for a Meme” won first prize in the Young Poets Network poetry challenge competition.
- Publisher
- Red River Press