Online

Online, online, saglw online
Google Meet
Zoom call
Proctored Exam
Audio mute kara
Video on kara
If you switch tabs
You are cheating
If the current goes
You are cheating
If you use headphones
You are cheating
If you wear earrings
You are cheating
If you need to drink water
You are cheating
If your signal is flaky
You are cheating
Forget it:
You are guilty
Unless proven innocent.

Yes sir. No sir. Three bags full sir.
You suffer all manner of indignities
Parents and teachers have abdicated all responsibilities
And the Testing Companies
Are laughing their way to the bank.

Glossary – saglw: everything; kara: to do something

This poem first appeared on Sunder and Sonati’s blog, Anhad Ka Baaja. Read the original here. 

Sunder and Sonati have been living and growing a forest on a small piece of land in Thekambattu in rural Tamil Nadu for the last 20 years. You can read their blogs here and here

Featured image credit: Pariplab Chakraborty