By A. DiNardo
ROME-RUTHENIA 15 October 2025 (NRom)
Brace yourself for an academic adventure like no other.
Fiction—or not?—the truth
here stings.
At its heart, this is not just literature—it’s a mirror held up to power.
A Brave Lecturer vs. the Ivory Tower
In this grand allegory, readers follow “The Brave Little Lecturer,” a defiant figure who dares to challenge the entrenched hierarchies of academia. When he confronts injustice—wage theft, retaliation, discrimination—he finds himself battling a hydra-headed institution that protects itself at all costs.
The poem’s strength lies in its clear-eyed portrayal of systemic failure wrapped in razor-sharp satire. Each character, from “Sneaky Snake” the campus ruler to “Big Gopher” the cold-hearted HR bureaucrat, embodies a familiar archetype of modern university life. On the surface they may seem exaggerated, but in fact they are painfully recognizable to anyone who’s spent time in academia’s shadowed halls.
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| Sneaky Snake, the evil campus administrator who terrorizes all the faculty |
Through rhyme and rhythm, the author transforms what could be a grim exposé into something more powerful: a chorus of protest disguised as play.
A parody that reads like a case file.
Lifting the Lid on Academic Hypocrisy
Universities have long marketed themselves as temples of truth and enlightenment. Yet Trying to Sue the U peels back that glossy veneer to reveal a troubling picture—one of censorship, hypocrisy, and double standards.
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| "Nokloo," the Not-So-Fearless Campus Leader, ever feckless |
From administrators who “bury their heads in the sand” to lawyers who weaponize taxpayer money, the poem skewers the machinery of institutional self-preservation. It’s a “civil rights fairy tale,” yes, but one with real-world implications.
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| With Truth and Justice, the Brave Little Lecture thwarts the greedy lawyers |
For many adjuncts, lecturers, and contingent faculty, the Brave Little Lecturer’s plight hits close to home. The satire may be cloaked in whimsy, but its commentary on academic labor conditions is deeply authentic.
They silenced a teacher, but not the story.
The piece asks a burning question: When those who teach justice and ethics fail to practice them, what remains of higher education’s moral authority? Answer: Tyranny.
A Tradition of Truth Through Humor
In the best tradition of literary satire, from Jonathan Swift to George Orwell, Trying to Sue the U uses humor not to trivialize, but to clarify. Its absurdities illuminate uncomfortable truths about power and privilege within supposedly egalitarian institutions rooted in social justice.
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| Chameleon, the diversity officer who pretends to serve and protect the people, but really protects the university administrators |
The poem’s “cast” reads like a fable for the 21st century: “Chameleon,” the diversity officer who protects the powerful; “Big Bark,” the state attorney who defends the machinery of the system; “No-Hope Foryu,” the overworked, hapless, and ineffective federal civil rights officer. Each character highlights how accountability erodes when institutional reputation trumps integrity.
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| Big Bark, the State Attorney General, whose interest isn't justice, but protecting the University even when it breaks the law |
It’s a clever inversion of the academic epic. Where universities once celebrated intellectual bravery, this poem doesn't just suggest they now punish it, but rather blatantly states it. Yet it does so with a wink and a rhyme, making the medicine go down with a smile.
Art as Accountability
What makes Trying to Sue the U truly significant is its moral courage. In a culture where faculty often fear retaliation for speaking out, this piece breaks the silence through allegory. It invites public engagement in what is too often treated as an internal, untouchable affair.
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| How the epic satire portrays "Lady Justice," a high-priced whore up for sale to the highest bidder |
By framing institutional failure as mythic comedy, the author creates distance—enough to laugh, but not enough to look away. The result is a kind of poetic whistleblowing, wielding metaphor instead of lawsuits.
Why It Matters
As academia grapples with crises of integrity, funding, and public trust, Trying to Sue the U feels less like parody and more like prophecy. It reminds us that art can still serve as conscience, that laughter can be resistance, and that even in satire, truth can find its voice.
Behind the humor is a simple demand: fairness, transparency, and the right to speak truth to power without fear.
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| The satire ends on a happy note, as the Brave Little Lecture refuses to play the game that has been rigged by the corrupt system, follows his own path, and triumphs over injustice. |
And perhaps that’s why the Brave Little Lecturer endures—not as a caricature, but as a symbol of every educator who refuses to give up on the ideal that universities once promised to uphold: that knowledge should serve the public good, not just the powerful few.
In the end, “Trying to Sue the U” may perhaps be fiction (or not?) — but its message is anything but.
