Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Vote Vote Vote!

  By GAURAV PARAB


Hi, I was hoping we could talk for a little while

They say this village is this country’s last mile

This is where everything ends, this is where everything starts

Your life captured in little dots on your fingers and our charts.

 

Did they come again to ask you for your precious day?

To rant and rant till that shining machine flies them away

A million bucks to buy that bird safe and nice

And yes, it was bought by your money from last season’s rice

 

Ever wondered why they flew as opposed to drive?

See, even their mighty SUV’s need a road to arrive

They didn’t build no roads for sixty years

Even with a million unemployed engineers

You voted didn’t you?

Walking for miles to that booth

 

They have been coming every five years I have been told

In the heat of the summer, sometimes in the cold

To villages like yours, far and remote

Darn your vote, your vote your vote

 

That rich star on TV says even your poor vote counts

To deliver, to change, to lead it all amounts

It is for your children, so you are told

Where were they when your mother was sold?

You voted, didn’t you?

And your father did too

 

There are national issues that you should care about

The government is a thief the opposition shouts

The opposition was a thief when it was in power

Shouts the government every hour

 

They would call everyone a threat apart from you

You are not Chinese; you are democracy’s select few

Do you know they are all pals when no one is around

Laughing behind your back, in their town

You voted, didn’t you

Well, the jokes on you

 

Democracy will always be safe and sound

What goes around, comes around

They have been coming around only when they could

You want them to be gone for good

 

Soldiers die so you could have this glorious afternoon

To elect thieves who will send more to die soon

Thank you for listening to me this while

I hope a leader gives you a reason to smile

It is fashionable these days, so I will end my poem with a quote

“Please go out and vote, vote and vote”

 




8 comments:

Advait Borate said...

True!!!! but leaves a tinge of negativity in me....you are right its fashionable to say VOTE but is there any other way???

SUSANT said...

Nice one!

Anonymous said...

You make the situation sound so dismal. And realistic.

Have you read "The White Tiger" by Aravind Adiga? Its paints a good picture (and I believe, true picture) of voting in the villages.

Atrisa said...

Hehe. I enjoyed the projected stoicism :)

This is what has been troubling me, really really bothering me. You know why? It would be the first time I would vote :P

Did you read their agendas telling how each would be a refreshing change?
How giving a simple vote would garner you so much in exchange?
Was it really their words, their hearts ripped apart for our motherland
Or a young intelligent writer behind them, told to run his imagination wild, all part of the big plan?

Gaurav Parab said...

@ Addu, Atrisa

No. There is no other way. We have to vote and select the best from what we have!

I voted last time in the assembly polls. It is another thing that the person I voted for, jumped his party after getting elected.

I have also voted this year as well. And this time I am wiser since I have voted for the person and not the party. There is not much difference between the parties in this election, so i think it is important we understand the person and what he stands for.

The poem, yes is negative, but it was written to evoke responses. Sometimes a debate occurs only when one takes a certain position.
Plus I love to take potshots whenever I see 'ad hoc industries' forming around issues. The vote movement is however good, and should be strengthened.

@ Anonymous.

Drop in your name next time.
You are right about the 'real' picture.
However, on a positive note, India has been very lucky in the last 2 Lok Sabha elections to have 2 very good prime ministers in the form of Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Manmohan Singh. At the national level, the only thing that Union Ministers can do is come up with programs that have long lasting impact, and try to strengthen the implementation. Both were very good in that sense.
India really has been very lucky as far as prime ministers are concerned. Another ten years, and I am certain that the 'real' picture will change.
India cannot be stopped, it is no longer an idea. Its time has come.

Anonymous said...

You dont fail to amaze

-Meera

Gautam Anand said...

Aptly sarcastic .. to drive the point home ..!!!

Priyanka Khot said...

Point put across very powerfully. But my complaint with many (of my own age-group) remains. We all are masters at pointing out the problems and fallacies of the system.

Not that that is wrong or should not be done. But it would be nice to find some solutions or at least suggestions to solutions once in a while.

Nice read! (in case my desh bhakti over dose cast a cloud on the praises I meant to shower)