Rage Of The Unemployed Poem by Raj Arumugam

The unembittered unemployed
come into themselves, cut off
and involved in inner worlds, isolated and taking on
loneliness, talking in loneliness, inviting others to
take a view of the unsuccessful
and unconnected and to keep away, not worth the time of anyone
about to get on and up in the world, not presentable
at social functions where people rub shoulders and
take notes and evaluate who's in and who's out.
The unemployed without a rage burn themselves out;
snuff out their own flame and leave for a long time
a curl of grey smoke
over a shortened candle
become grotesque
with unwieldly lines of wax on its sides.


Rage therefore, ye unemployed;
let not rage die in your hearts
for the unemployed without rage and fire
are blown out like oil lamps
beside the open window.
Rage therefore against the world
that will not let you work
but will humiliate you with words
Rage therefore against the world
that will take away your dignity
and shuffle you from one office to another
rage and rage unabashed
rage and rage uninhibited
rage and rage unbridled
rage and rage unrestrained -
for rage becometh the unemployed;
for rage giveth
what the world would take away.





(from The Migrant - notes of a newcomer (February 1997- July 1998))