Offstumped in verse on the Gerontocracy our Democracy has been come

3. A gerontocracy

 

listen my son to the tale of yayati, embrace my age, gift me perenntiy

oh such indulgences of the world await, lest my powers fade by some quirk of fate

fate it was that blessed me with this ticket, run I shall its hardly a game of cricket

u may see me stutter, u may see me fumble – ummm ! aaha my machinations, my mind is quite nimble

 

the dust and din, which way are they steered, worry u shall not, the pitch has been queered

those of our kin will side by me, to the rest, epitomize I shall unparallel public servility

nothing to chance, the goons shall have the box, beware my foes, of this old peasant fox

the lots are cast, the numbers will add up, the contest has been won, I am the new satrap

 

blessed are u, wont u touch my feet, these garlands, they are no bother in this heat

worship and revere, the ground I stand have no fear my friends, shadowing you is my hand

so long Armani, take away my chemise, farewell Gucci, miss wont I your tails & tweeds

time for Gandhi, bring in the khadis,  don’t miss the topi that’s my political mufti

 

“mr. Clean, white as milk, hobble or fumble
for us of your ilk, a favour or two, should be no trouble
swear by your age, preach thy shallow wisdom
shepherd we shall the masses,  thrive it shall your sycophantic kingdom”

 

“what do we care, for your legislative no-show
 look out u shall, for those of us in the know
ignore we shall your remarks  asinine, in public

         desh ki hit mein, janta ki hit mein

however, don’t get too fond of  your voice, , its giving us a migraine”

 

“re-shuffleis  on the cards, reiterate your vishwas
sing the paeans, don’t upset the applecart with your bakwaas
persevere, practice and u shall perfect that stoic façade”

me at this age, not for me those posts,  I am here to serve the public at large

 

“there must be a mistake, did they misread all those cues
despair no our mouthpiece, this slight they shall rue
dust up the handbook of Opposition
sulk and croon in legislative discordance
don’t let up the onslaught with critical interjection
bankroll we shall subtly this willful display of dissidence”

 

“well there will come an expansion, of sizes jumbo
awarded u shall be, what consequence is the portfolio
your car has a flashlight and your dog its detail of commandos
as for us your courtiers, shall make do with the lutyen’s bungalow”

 

“north block, south block, sanchar bhavan or sansad bhavan
 they are all the same, head u must for that foreign hill station
leave it to us and those babus to manage the show in your absentia
for all the different it makes, you may as well be convalescing from dementia”

 

“the deals have been fixed, the kickbacks well received
the oath, the trust, has been very thoroughly  deceived
your kith and kin, trust us, have all been taken care of
bless us for we shall, aim for that million dollar rip-off”

 

“our plunder and your non-performance will soon take their toll
gather the kids and their kids for that all important foreign jaunt
all your scandals and all those slights, will soon come to haunt
its prudent you stayed back, get those stones out of your gall”

 

“we stalled we subverted, we constituted an enquiry commission
the heat is off, the deeds forgotten, we have laid to rest your acts of omission
the time is ripe and you have come of age, for a role more gubernatorial
your stature shall be kept, your respect shall be honored, in those pesky editorials”

 

I love the courtiers, I love the bailiff, I have an ADC, I ride a rolls Royce

no more poking fun at me the illeterate, This chancellory thing, I got a honorary doctorate

I bless inaugurations, I pontify sermons on governance

one snag, I am just a minion of the high command, my political life has turned so bland

 

“we are back, we are in business
some nasty dissidence, shall be in the order of fitness
ressurect you we shall, with one foot in the grave
let them dare deny, whats rightfully your claim”

 

“it’s a truly a second coming
your flair for ineptitude unchanged
what governance what policy
its time to enshrine yourself for posterity”

 

“we have renamed the dam, we have issued a stamp

we set up that trust, the sculptor is fast at work on your bust

your name is on the plaque, who will know your contributions from fake

we have firmly established your legacy, now is the time to bask in its glory”

 

my prodigal son you have returned., Touch his feet anoint him heir-apparent

Yayati of the old spake

“sensual desire is never quenched by indulgence any more than fire is extinguished by pouring oil “

not for me such profound realizations, so conceited I am in spirit and substance

 

secure I shall your future, and of course my phoney legacy,

this is the order of my generation, our carefully crafted GERONTOCRACY

allergic we are to democracy, detest we do any hint of meritocracy

call it some may senile dysfunction, me thinks it is geriatric maturation

 

soon I shall be gone, occupy you shall prime land

consecrate my grave, preserve my wrinkled image to posterity

don the mantle of my legacy, in it lies your ticket to electoral victory

your accent is fine but you cant do without the khaddar or the Gandhi topi

 

a worthy successor my son, and thus laments an out of favour minion

“such is the fate of our nation, no escaping the dynastic imperialisation
our grandfathers and fathers, how they have let us down
things have come to such a pass, not for me life in this capital town”

 

fool you can only survive abroad while my epitaph proudly reads

“Long Live the leader of the masses, the revolutionary

Dr. whatever, who saved us from the throngs of penury”

To commemorate my legacy, on this day, they shall lay a wreath and pray

LONG LIVE GERONTOCRACY LONG LIVE THE GERIATRICS OF MY AGE

 

Filed under: Poetry, Uncategorized