SHOUT

Twenty years ago,

When I was crawling on the ground,

A new costume in the wardrobe,

A new dish on menu.

They came, with their noise,

They said,

Don’t touch. Don’t touch that.

You will burn your fingers.

Bineet, that’s bad.

Don’t see that,

TV will spoil your career.

Don’t look at them,

Drunkards-hooligans-beggars-mad men,

Rats on earth.

They said,

Don’t taste that.

Meat is not for you.

You are a holy Brahmin, son.

Don’t hear those words,

Bad words, foul words.

Don’t listen to your mom.

She is an idiot.

No, no, not a sound.

No whisper in the class.

They said,

Bow down.

Touch his feet

He is a holy man.

Now don’t behave like a girl.

Don’t you dare!

Take this chocolate,

Pull up your pants,

Don’t say anything,

Don’t talk about it.

No worries. OK?

They said, don’t shout.

They said, don’t cry.

They said, you are a man now

God damned!

Don’t cry.

Yes, yes,

I won’t cry, no cries anymore.

I am a man now,

I am noise now,

I will shout.

Shout at the top of my voice.

_____________________________________

(2012)