21 August, 2008

Farmers Are Dying In Vidarbha

My friend Peter Griffin brings my attention to Quick Tales, a writing competition organised by Caferati and LiveJournal for fiction shorter than 500 words. The first prize is Rs 19,999, so if you enjoy storytelling, head over and participate. Make it racy, ok?

But why have I titled this post thus? Well, Peter has also announced a Godawful Poetry Fortnight, and he demands that I contribute to it. I don’t write poetry, bad or otherwise, but I did write a little ditty to amuse some friends a few days ago, and I present it below. It is certain to piss off both the lefties and the righties in the blogosphere: the lefties will think I’m trivialising a serious issue, and the righties will think I’m trying to make them feel guilty. But I shall sacrifice the loss of goodwill, for this is for a good cause. Peter wants godawful, and this is godawful:

Farmers are dying in Vidarbha
by Amit Varma

I’m sitting in my airconditioned room right now
Soaking in some fashionable gloom right now
While farmers are dying in Vidarbha.

I’m surfing the web and writing a blog
I’ve eaten heartily and will sleep like a log
While farmers are dying in Vidarbha.

Tomorrow I shall go and chill at a mall
Indulge myself in bling and all
While farmers are dying in Vidarbha.

Farmers are dying, Oh farmers are dying
Farmers are dying in Vidarbha.

I drink Kingfisher and I travel Jet
I use Meru cabs (haven’t got a Merc yet)
While farmers are dying in Vidarbha.

When I go to the gym I wear special shoes
Talk in an accent about jazz and blues
While farmers are dying in Vidarbha.

I think I’m super hot, and also super cool
The globe is warming but I’m playing the fool
While farmers are dying in Vidarbha.

Farmers are dying, Oh farmers are dying
Farmers are dying in Vidarbha.

And hey, what d’ya say, look at it this way
If I was in Vidarbha and my hair was gray
I would also be dyeing in Vidarbha.

Farmers are dyeing, Oh farmers are dyeing
Farmers are dyeing in Vidarbha.

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Mandatory tag: Godawful Poetry Fortnight.

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PS: The poem was inspired by the meme mentioned in my post, Monster Trucks, Party Clocks and Chidiya Choo Choo.