General Strike Poem by Sivaprasad Parackal

General Strike

It is not a red letter day; but turns out to be one
Never does it fall on a rest day; but offers total rest
An annual ‘ritual' which none dares to ban
For every soul will be in the streets to protect the year old ‘custom'

Everything comes to a halt as it sets the sail
Even the life line of the nation comes to a stand still
It strikes at the core crippling every human action
Absolute immobility is the real show of strength

Whoever may be at the helm, demands are the same
The age old utopian demands for which there are few takers
The right hand may upset the flourishing lotus
But the ‘ritual' will go on as rulers are the best sponsors

The privileged workforce won't lose a single penny
The impressionable genuine labourers are the sole losers
The toiling class loses yet another fruitful day
The hungry becomes hungrier and the thirsty thirstier

Blame not the imposters of fraternity for the catastrophe
As the endangered races know no other way to stay ‘alive'
Years go by, such absurdities continue
After all each human year is packed with absurdities too