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The Indian Baboo

From eastern

Uttar Pradesh

Such alluring

Southern India

Or Bihar

This pioneer

Hurt with an

Anguished soul,

Left everything

In India

Cross the Cala Pani

Took all

His belongings

Fulfilling aspirations

A few clothes

Seeds and his

Hindu tradition

And deep culture

He amidst

Fellow pioneers

With unsatiated hunger

Speaking in

Dravidian tongues

Tamil, Telugu

And Malayalam

Facing callousness

From this potpourri

Of languages

Evolved the

The Guyanese

Aghast

Of varied Faiths,

Fitting into the society

Thrown into a

Sheer white society

Like the summer rain





Yes the Baboo

Once strong

Was lost

A wringing soul

In a sea

Of intrigue

Feeling each cool drop

Of torturous

Consternation

On the sugar plantation

Because

He didn't

Know enough English

The language

Of Power

Of wealth and

The white nation

On the plantation

The parched land

Much more thirsty

The manager

The ruler

With harsh rules

To do the job

Demon like

No English

Meant you're

At a disadvantage

Uncountable

Suckling hungrily

Encompassing all diversities

With English rage

When you can't

Explain yourself

In disputes



They tell you

Behave yourself

Bosom sliced,

If the Manager

Was not pleased

You can get expelled

From the plantation

Oh how he missed

A cheerful voice,

So loving, so caring

So kind

This Engrazie

Can be so ruthless

Levy fines on you

Unhealable wounds

Inflicted deep

For that one drop of coolness and love,

On you coolie ass

And teeming off springs

Because you

Don't know English

When all else failed

They dubbed

You a criminal

Other Baboos

Tremble with fear

Eyes penetrating

Cannot speak on your behalf

For he knows

A lone answer

No solace

Ah questions,

Very little English too

Or he forgot

To pick up his pass

From the Manager

Unending chores

Now oozing wounds



Even the Sardars

With drooping eyelids

Partitioned them

Speaking in Tamil

Or Hindu

Or English

Were used to

Appease some

Of the good English

Like the

Royal Commission

Which sanctioned

Hindi Schools

Compulsory education

The Earth's body, mind, heart and soul

Unsolved

For the Indian Children

Just purity of thoughts and love

But the unthinkers

Of dark shades

Stifled Hindu

Soothing his sun baked lips

Of a heartless sun,

Unloved, uncared for

Forced the Baboos

Never a thought went astray or sore

To learn English

To imitate

The black and

Yellow brothers

To become

A Noble Indian

Spreading light and love,

Touched deep inside the untouched

Yet frivolous

Deep inside it's burning

Wrenching apart

Realms of heart and mind

Riddled wounded

Thawing the frozenness of years