India lingers as a developing country

The assiduous ants toiled hard,

in withering heat, entire summer

punctiliously built a unique home,

laying up supplies for the winter

 

The grasshoppers debated this,

                                     assumed them stupid and fool

subtly swayed d' summer away

no harrying took easy and cool

 

Winter arrived in its time with a

biting cold and an icing weather

ants felt warm and also well-fed

hoppers had no food, no shelter

 

Likely to die out in d' bitter cold,

resolved to call one press meet

           d' shivering guys' leader argued,

urged to know d' ploy behind it

 

How come the ants be allowed,

to be amiably warm and well-fed

while others frozen and starved,

for the forsaken chunk, no regard

 

News channels must telecast,

scene of the shivering hoppers

next d' ants in their cozy home

table-full of foods for d' winter

 

Stunned by the sharp contrast

d' world just not able to imagine

poor hoppers, allowed to suffer,

how one can tolerate the scene

 

Arundhati Roy to demonstrate,

right in front of the snug anthill

Medha Patkar's indefinite fast

along with the hoppers, a drill

 

Demands to relocate d' hoppers

to warmer climates during winter

one section enjoys a secure stay,

other gets neglected and suffer

 

Minorities on purpose oppressed,

Mayawati affirmed injustice done

sought support for the hoppers,

     internet flooded in online petitions

 

Kerala CPM passed a stringent law,

barred ants working hard in d' heat

 to bring about equality of poverty,

ants disentitled to get all d' credit

 

Indian Railway decided to allocate,

one free coach to d' Grasshoppers

long distance Jammu-Allepy express

be aptly named d' Grasshopper Rath'

 

Law Committee drafted POCAGA to

prevent cruelty against grasshoppers

the stringent act to be put into effect,

from the beginning of d' next winter

 

A special quota was created for them,

in Govt. jobs, Educational Institutions 

if ever fail to comply with d' POCAGA,

ants had to pay a heavy penalty sum 

 

If unable to pay the retroactive taxes,

home, confiscated by d' administration

allotted to Grasshoppers in a ceremony

covered by NDTV, Times Now, and CNN

 

Rly Minister calls it a Socialistic Justice,

Arundhati Roy names Triumphant action

press, parties, groups satisfied their ego,

CPM, a resurgence of the downtrodden 

 

D' ants lastly migrated to d' US to set up,

a multi-billion dollar deal in Silicon Valley

lakhs of grasshoppers die of starvation,

despite d' politics, reservations, all silly 

 

To fetch vote tax money spent to buy

food, perks for d' hoppers, all mystery

     hard-working ants got fade up & left,

India lingers as a developing country

An irritated wife of your bona fide employee

Dear sir, I'm the wife of Manoj,

your the most ardent worker

I make you a humble appeal,

allow work from home no more

 

Ask him to work from d' office,

he, already doubly vaccinated

practiced well to carry on Covid

protocols, as has been declared

If work from home continues

as it is for the last 1½ years

our marriage might not work

anymore, definitely, for sure

He sips coffee ten times a day,

and leaves d' things in a mess

keeps on changing the locus

as per whims, none can guess

 

Constantly demands good food,

spicy, crispy-crunchy, delicious

on dining table sits with a laptop,

falls asleep during d' work calls

 Sits on d' sofa in the living room,

or on a mat spread on the floor

no hesitancy for d' kids bedroom,

might use d' washroom unaware

I've already two kids to look after,

their online class in Covid period

they are eating my head, as the

jail inmates eat d' head of d' jailor

 

They got imprisoned at home,

no play with friends, no outings

only busy with laptops, phones,

video calls, WhatsApp chatting

Howling, yelling the whole day,

an unbearable high pitch voice

gone crazy in d' corona curfew

I've to tolerate, no other choice

 

Moreover, my hubby, making

my life horrible, I'll go berserk

do seek your amiable support,

to get sanity of my home back

 
Being a docile house lady, how

long to keep quiet and feel sigh

Regards sir, an irritated wife of 

one of your bona fide employees

Someone needs you forever!

Once you get older...

Even if sure you're right,

don't tutor anyone anything

later, not have to regret it,

did the most stupid thing

Past memory is gone adrift,

you despised your mentors

never heard their valued tips,

took no advice from d' elders

Offer no help if not asked for,

on anyone, don't get imposed

be aware it's d' waggish world,

wacky to escape from d' woes

Have to love the loved ones,

no ingratitude to d' offspring

things done was parent's duty,

no-obligation awaited from kids

Keep fit, be in a fine physique,

make no fuss about any ailments

for health issues, never blame

neighbors, Govt. or retirement 

I'm older, so I know better...,

will never be received well

me at your age..., did this/ that

if quoted may create a quarrel

Stupid to bank on in return,

things you did, are already done

keep aloof, not to calculate

must reduce d' expectations

Spend last money gingerly,

not for d' anti-age treatment

to make use of it on a trip,

rather be a fruitful spend

Take care of your spouse,

be a wrinkled, fickle person

might appear helpless now

once was pretty and young

Not able to appreciate now,

then good looking, cheerful

right now, maybe d' only one

really d' most needful, useful

Keep up with time at all costs,

understand new technology

obsessively follow the news

keep up to date and be busy

Often read something new

do never fall behind in time

for fun, do whatever you want,

while you can! it's no crime

No self-blame for anything,

you did everything you could

it's no way due to your faults,

those hassles in life ensued

Preserve your dignity ever,

in an awkward situation!

till d' end, no way to bend,

keep d' head high, end on

Anyway, always do your best

it's crucial, must remember

if you're still alive and lively,

someone needs you forever!

Too timid to open up about my ailment

Finally, she telephoned the hospital,

but timidly asked d' guy answering

is it possible to speak to someone,

who can tell how a patient is doing?"

A sweet lady with quizzical eyes and

sweat on d' forehead aimed to agitate

d' operator had picked up the phone

name, room no. he asked to narrate

Hope will be able to locate d' patient,

inform you of his present condition

no news of demises in the morning,

there is no reason for apprehension

A trembling voice from d' other-end

uttered Doreen Jacobs, Room 604

tell me her prognosis and progress,

I desire to know it, urgently for sure

In a meek voice, d' operator pleaded,

for a moment, you'll please hang on

I'll place you on hold while to check

with her nurse about her condition

After a while, the operator got back,

live again soon with his vivid voice

I've good news for you, listen dear,

Doreen's doing well, pl. do rejoice

D' nurse told all d' Parameters fine

BP good, blood work at d' usual limit

her Physician hopes to release her,

and call for a checkup in a fortnight

D' old lady whispered, thanks a lot,

great, I'm too stifled, feel disabled

God bless you, now reach home soon,

if that way, Dr. Ross has scheduled

Doreen's doing well, d' nurse assured?

Thanks, I'm relieved, my worries over

You're welcome, the operator replied,

but anyway, is Doreen your daughter?

I'm Doreen Jacobs myself, room 604

my Physician appears to be adamant

no one tells me shit, totally top secret,

too timid to open up about my ailment