DUTY BECKONS

A youngster indolent, suddenly found himself being called,

A badge was awarded, an appointment made,

Suddenly he was set apart from his contemporaries,

And he stood facing the secondary.

A stranger to diplomacy,

New to power and rank,

A definite follower was told to pilot,

Could he bear the burden?

A revelation for him,

He took it as a challenge,

To set an example, an example was needed,

To make a change, a change was needed.

The initiation was tough,

Friends became acquaintances,

A prudent was created,

Reformation was far easier than maintenance.

The bullies got a shock, superiority wasn't welcome,

The mass changed form, the word is opposition,

Popularity among the pack was lost,

He carried on!

Life was something else now,

Something beyond the usual consideration,

Consciousness reflected responsibility,

Commitment was pledged,

Someone expected something!

No doubt he had a status,

A second glance was guaranteed,

But not all was a bed of roses...

Friends changed topic on his appearance,

Laughter subsided with his passing-by,

Not exactly what he wanted,

It's really lonely at the top!

He misses the teenage stuff,

Has got to be role-model,

Away from all the youthful fun and pranks,

He has to carry on...hasn't he? 

Was It, Or Wasn't It?

It had never happened to me,

And never had I wondered.

Was it my innocence,

or had someone blundered?

She never looked my way,

Never she smiled at me,

But she was my only ray,

Though never were together we.

I saw her often through my window,

Going in and out of her house,

Often, had I thought of her,

My heart was in total chaos.

In my dream, I saw the image of her,

Together we were crossing the Nile,

And as the sleep began to blur,

I got up quickly with a smile.

Dressing up was no problem,

Nor were the flowers I would buy,

The only problem was the anger,

When I saw her with the other guy!

I caught him by his throat,

And flung him aside,

Meanwhile she ran,

Looking for somewhere to hide.

I told her to come out,

For she needn't fear,

It was then that I saw,

That little rolling tear.

"I knew you loved me,

I knew you cared,

But I wanted you to tell,

For I could never have dared!

I am happy to know your love,

But you were a little too late,

You missed the Dove,

My parents had already laid the bait!"

A child miseducated is a child lost…

For centuries, the system of teen edification and personality development for a better future has undergone great changes. The mode of education, from ashrams to schools and finally to home-study institutions via internet, has developed so much, that now a child has greater opportunities to learn and better milieu to grow.

     However, the children now, generally speaking, are on their way to the world of fantasy, the world of fashion, the world of drugs…the world of doom! They are leaving books they ought to study; closing computer programmers they ought to work on…the censored magazines and websites are high on demand! What should be the echelon of a child’s knowledge scale; the debate is still a failure.

     The main method adopted by teachers and parents for keeping the next generation on track, is, -on teacher’s part- apathy to the child’s misbehavior; and on the parent’s part, ignorance of the same. The parents are not to be blamed, they never knew about the misdeeds of their child in school or hostel; the teachers are not to be blamed, they could never comment on the misconduct of the child, or they would be beaten up by the student-union and the child, of course, is not to be blamed, for he never knew the difference between what is right for the society and what’s not. Now the question arises- WHO TO BLAME?

      The child is kept in the premises of the boarding-house, allowed only weekly or fortnightly outings, which are spent by the child in shopping/merry making…cinemas! The teachers are busy with the course books, the school politics and yes!- the new job opportunities for higher salaries. The parents…well they are not available for comment, they are either out of station for work purpose, or they are simply minding their own business. The father in the office, the mother in the kitty-parties; back-biting, and the grand-parents have already been sent to the Old-Age Homes!

     The basic element lacking in a child’s education is not disciplinary classes, it is just mere ignorance and indifference towards the future leaders. They are just handed over wads of bank-notes to solve their problems, which are usually spent on the teenage diversities- girls, cigarettes, motor-bikes, fancy clothes and spiffy hair-do’s. The key knowledge of what a society is made up of is certainly something alien to the child’s course of study. His incapability to understand his responsibility owes highly to the medium and methodology of imparting knowledge and another potential is wasted. 

    It is high time that instead of just overloading the child with information, we start to tell them how it can be utilized. How self-improvement would lead to a better society, a better culture, and make the world a better place to live in…!!