What Is Economics? I Don'T Know... Poem by Sadashivan Nair

On first day of each month
Holding salary cheque in hand,
Sitting beside my wife,
She wasn’t happy, nor did smile,
As usual quarrel over economics,
how to meet what we want?
Plan each month’s budget (+ -) and
Minus again;
not this time, will buy next time;
Late evening we dine together,
She said 'now pray God for food it gave'
After little whisper began having food,
Our fight isn't on anything,
except for economics.. How to manage!
She always says 'This way, things won't go'.
Her worry is too genuine,
have 3 school going kids,
It's not easy managing home;
Day time tensed even night restless,
Sleep in same bed again,
Her leg and arm load over me,
Holding tight to feel my warmth,
so gains strength fight economic stress,
night in bed so gifted, consoling,
She and I forget all;
But one night in bed, as usual holding tight,
Hesitating bit but she opened self,
'This month is daughter's birthday,
She expects long dress as gift.'
'You can't escape saying,
You manage it, or not this time”,
We have to manage, however we do,
Whatever we do, have to sacrifice,
even by cutting fuel bill, will go by bus;
For me this time it was hard to say,
'not this time'...
She hugged me hard silently
With kiss she said
'earn barely enough for basic needs,
We both work so hard 15 hours a day,
Yet we can't meet our needs',
Initialising sleep, partially closed eyes,
She whispered '2 decades back
Things were different;
Though salary was less yet could
Manage and save;
Is this economic growth we call'?
What is economics? I don't know...
Only know can't fill up basics,
with what we earn';
brain switching off, shuttering eyelids down,
Said to her
'We shall talk next day, it's time to sleep'.
Even in sleep disturbing dreams,
Oil, soap and lentils soaring high,
Energy, water, fuel, mortgage rates are up,
index shows plunging inflation rate,
is this economic growth?
To meet our essentials,
fail paying mortgages we owe;
Driven out from homes if dues unpaid,
what is economics? I don't know...
Eldest daughter is educated
expected her sharing economic burden,
But unemployed;
Many resumes she sends but no response,
GDP rising but employment scarce;
Sometimes comes in mind,
Is globalisation step daughter of economics?
Only delivers rising inflation and Inequality.
Defines poverty not only hunger or $2 a day,
Middle income group struggling to survive,
Fail meeting basic needs, too is poverty;
what is economics? I don't know...
Managing resources for survival,
We call is economics;
The rule of economics:
Before proceeding to next economic stage,
strengthen pillars meant for past,
new construction has different load,
Failing correct ion to endure more,
burdened structure shall collapse,
as saw in past;
Another rule: Cost of essential needs,
Thermometer of economic growth;
sale of luxury falls if food prices soar,
Sale of cars plunge if fuel prices soar,
Economics isn't GDP nor Current Account;
But is survival and managing to survive,
First to survive then look for luxuries of survival,
What is economics? I don't know..
Before globalisation life was easy,
Weekends tours and dines, was lovely life;
Economic stress is Thorn in our family life:
Our life is in the hands of corporations,
They have invaded our economic world,
How to live, what to eat, what to dress,
All decided by them;
What is economics? I don't know...

© Sadashivan Nair. All rights reserved