Background, Casually By Nissim Ezekiel Poem by Bijay Kant Dubey

Background, Casually not,
Ironically,
Lightly and humorously,
In a funny and amusing way
Telling of,
Introducing himself
As does a convent boy
Or a hosteller,
A boarding fellow.

His Jewish background, Bene Israel identity,
Oil-pressing ancestral profession,
School-life and college-education,
Sojourn in England,
Love with an English girl,
Departure for India,
Marriage
And his sense of belonging,
A poet of Bombay
Writing about Bombay.

All but indirectly,
Adopting the ironic mode of reflection,
Spicing and salting the stuffs,
Taking a fillip
All but humorously,
His settling, joining,
Striking of roots,
Nativity and connection,
Aggravating Indianness.

Before he goes, passes out,
He has commitments to accomplish
And serve
Personal, national and societal
Which but he cannot ignore them
A place where he was born,
Grew up as a man,
Got educated
So how to distance oneself
From it?