Being 51 is Good!
Prospects of Glass Ceilings N Cabins (Pun Intended)
Nope, I am not speaking of my age. Wink Wink! I am speaking of the rank I got in a recent poetry competition I took part in. Now that I have finally grabbed your attention, please enjoy one of the poems submitted for the same.
I apply, I respond, I listen,
In search of job or dignity?
I wonder!
Interview Interrogation —
Set A for males -
Driving licence? Both two and four-wheelers?
Count of family members?
Currently, employed? Where?
Range of experience?
Salary/incentive expectations?
Set B for females —
Set A + Additional query list
Can you commute?
Married or Single?
Single — Father’s profession?
Married — Husband’s profession?
Any kids? How many?
Relocated? Why?
With whom will you stay?
Consolidation of etiquette —
Set B — Hmmnn strong resume, good experience
Good research publications profile
Whose help? Must have had some support?
No assistance? Are you sure?
Managed family and work balance? How?
Anyway, we need good professional ethics
Punctuality is a must
Let’s put you on probation period,
to see how you perform.
Unemployed —
Set A — No job yet?
Poor boy/man — Keep trying.
Terrible times,
Unemployment, a growing menace.
Set B — No job? Try to understand
Even men do not get jobs easily.
Don’t lose heart, nowadays,
They prefer experienced people.
You can enjoy time with family.
What? Salary not satisfactory?
But why? Your father/husband/son,
Earn in six figures; Right?
Criteria —
Set A — good experience
Dress code — formal
Skills & qualifications — eligible
Set B — Set A + professional background check
Confirm security — Pay scale of father/husband/son
Strict code madam (for educators).
Why?
To differentiate students and faculty.
Oh! How to differentiate males?
Pause — You are a feminist Madam?
Next — No hijab or scarf.
Why?
To avoid differentiation based on religion.
Who said?
Cough!! We just follow rules, madam.
Whose rules?
Madam, we avoid political issues.
Conclusion — Mismatched
Women’s Day — eloquent boast of new prospects.
Of shattered glass ceilings.
Reality — Shattered or just expanded into wider domains?
Dilemma of decision/choice -
Should I?
Accept or Object or Reject
Remain professionally unemployed?
I wonder!
Set B — Default full-time job at home
Unpaid, categorised as unprofessional.
— — Soulfulheart
Hi, poetry lovers especially women of the world and Asia! I hope the above words resonate with some hidden part of you. I had recently participated in a national poetry competition ( organized by the Champ Quest Foundation), and this poem was among the top 100 out of the 97,325 submissions.
According to the final results, my ranking is 51 and the top 500 poems will be published in a book. So, the poems were earlier posted on the organizers’ platform for review and voting, (link below).
Awaiting your precious yet frank reviews of the poem. Till then Ciao.
Marcus aka Gregory Maidman ILLUMINATION-Curators ILLUMINATION Suma Narayan Risha Khan Amit Tiwari Ameen Shaik Zahier Adams Mitch Solomon Ravyne Hawke Lucy Dan 蛋小姐 (she/her/她)
