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We are the beggars


We are the beggars begging for our own money
Standing in serpentine queues before
Automated bureaucratically heartless machines.
The boss will charge a cess
For giving us our own money
and peddle us promises in return.

There is food in the market.
Vegetables rot on the stands
For want of money to be bought.
Fruits rot.
Fish and meat rot.
Money rots in our accounts.
We live in a rotten country.
Having everything, we have nothing.

Not even voices to speak out.
We mistrust the very air we breathe.
The person standing behind or in front in the queue
Is my enemy in all probability.
There are only patriots with burning hearts
And traitors to feed the passion’s blazes.

My government is the wizard of words.
Words conjure up a utopia, paradise, in people’s fancy,
Swachh Bharat where wealth and all else is white,
Whose godman sells miraculous fairness creams
For whitening all that is black.
Whiteness is Prakriti ka ashirwad.

The white man’s burden is back
Whitening the nation
Whitening the nation
Whitening the nation

Automated bureaucrats laugh
Like the wind passing through dried up brambles.



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  1. जितेन्द्र माथुरJanuary 5, 2017 at 11:24 AM

    You said it Sir. The present situation is exactly the same in our country. Helplessness has become the order of the day for a commoner.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Tomichan MatheikalJanuary 5, 2017 at 1:41 PM

      How much patience do the people possess is the next question, Jitender ji. While imposing remedial measures (some of which may be needed), can people be ignored? For whom is the remedy? For the sake of remedy or for the people?

      I hope the government will become more sensitive to the ordinary people's needs and necessities.

      Delete
  2. Amit AgarwalJanuary 5, 2017 at 12:56 PM

    Ha ha..the impact of demonetization has made you write a poem..and an even more impactful than that I must say! I loved every single word of it, Tom sir:):)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Tomichan MatheikalJanuary 5, 2017 at 1:43 PM

      Thanks for the appreciation, Amit ji. I was reminded to Vikram Seth's poem 'The Tale of the Melon City' in which the King says, "The nation needs a hanging and someone must be hanged'. We now have almost the whole nation being hanged for the sake of the King!

      Delete
  3. sunaina sharmaJanuary 5, 2017 at 5:00 PM

    Reminded me of Eliot's poetry - the rotten city of hollow mindsets

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Tomichan MatheikalJanuary 5, 2017 at 7:16 PM

      Eliot is a regular source of inspiration whenever I turn a poet.

      Delete
  4. Purba chakrabortyJanuary 6, 2017 at 12:03 AM

    A wonderful poem on the current scenario.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Tomichan MatheikalJanuary 6, 2017 at 6:24 AM

      The current scenario is a fertile ground for poets.

      Delete
  5. Rajeev MoothedathJanuary 7, 2017 at 5:48 AM

    You should the weapon of poetry more often since you do have a natural knack for it!

    ReplyDelete

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