Birthright

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On rooftops on hoardings bright,

In pages of coffeebooks

on tabletops of glass,

crying  little sad faces and

smiling happy ones,

yell out words heard

over a million times

“The birthright of every child-

The right to education”

So says the minister

Into any microphone,

That happens to come close

To his afterlunch mouth,

So too say the NGO and we,

 the well meaning citizen.

Ask the child’s parents

And a long list emerges

Of loans to repay

And a thatch to relay,

Of ailments to treat

And indentures to discreate.

In the tall shining hall

Where the grand banquet spread,

Long speeches and longer applauses,

A lone child stands on the podium,

Scrubbed and clothed

For today’s world presentation,

His utterance to help fill coffers

With grants and development offers.

In the spotlight he stands

A small fervent figure,

Eyes sparkle and dart,

Fingers worry a newfound button,

He opens his mouth

To mouth his saddened story

When in comes the first trolley

Heaped with every colour

Not just brown or white.

He opens his mouth

To mouth his saddened story,

His eyes fixed on the loaded trolley,

Hundreds of hours of story repeated

All forgotten with the passing trolley.

“ Birthright of every child….Education is…”

And out of his mouth

His rumbling stomach spoke,

 “I…need… food!”

© Nalini Hebbar/openmind/2009 - all rights reserved

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