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Bhaskaran Raman
brownstone.org
Bhaskaran Raman is a faculty in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at IIT Bombay. Views expressed here are his personal opinion. He maintains the site: “Understand, Unclog, Unpanic, Unscare, Unlock (U5) India” https://tinyurl.com/u5india.
Hey you, hey all,
Time to sound the clarion call,
There’s a new virus in town,
The planet must lock down,
I’ll show I know, I’ll show I care.
I’ll work from home, in my armchair.
Even children are your mortal threat,
Distancing is social, don’t forget,
Such diktats to be swallowed,
And science to be followed,
I’ll show I know, I’ll show I care.
A war on dissent, I declare.
But with shutdowns extended,
And all work suspended,
How will labourers earn,
Isn’t that a big concern,
I don’t know, I don’t care.
Step out of your house, don’t you dare.
Shops and vendors small,
Their life in free-fall,
Savings have long run out,
Their future in deep doubt,
I don’t know, I don’t care.
Running from corona, my only affair.
Schools have shut their door,
For weeks and months and more,
Will kids get their education?
Or grow their imagination?
I don’t know, I don’t care.
Can’t pause to think, or become aware.
Playgrounds forcefully closed,
Dystopian rules imposed,
Will kids get their recreation?
If they grow in isolation?
I don’t know, I don’t care.
They are resilient, they can bear.
But isn’t it most vile,
To hide a child’s smile,
Behind a dirty screen,
As never-ending routine,
I don’t know, I don’t care.
Masks save lives, I solemnly swear.
When the miraculous injection,
Cannot prevent infection,
Why coerce and mandate?
Show discrimination or hate?
I don’t know, I don’t care.
Punishing disobedience, is only fair.
Having caused so much damage,
Escaping the virus, did you manage?
Was societal wreckage needed?
If only to reason, you’d heeded?
I don’t know, I don’t care.
I don’t have time to spare.
Ever wrong, cent percent,
Will you apologize or repent?
I don’t care, I don’t know,
I don’t care to know.
I don’t know, I don’t care,
I don’t know how to care.
