My wanderlust got me globetrotting,
And settled at the heart of the Empire,
Struggled to fit in but innocence made it alright,
All the while keeping my head down,
Ever swinging between college and odd jobs,
To pay for tuition, upkeep and hostel,
It will be generous to call it accommodation,
A tiny room at the end of a hallway,
Squeezed with a single bed and a child’s desk,
Fast-food outlets were a source of free WiFi,
For those all-important assignments to be done!
No wonder I was over the moon when the results came,
Albeit a 3rd-class degree but a pass all the same!
It felt like I had made it against all odds!
My folks sacrificed their only remaining cow,
Rejoiced with kindred into the depth of the night,
Gave gratitude to the Gods for it felt like I had arrived!
But no, not for long as I toiled to land that dream job,
Everyone more keen on the certificate over person,
Got it eventually at the 24th attempt,
An exemplary firm from what it says in the media,
Its ethos, pathos and logos well-laid out,
Environmentally-oriented, diverse and inclusive,
Regardless of ethnicity or social-economic status,
Signed on the dotted line, all in great haste,
Reality started to sink in after a short while,
It was not as rosy as it appeared on the tin,
Very little looked like me in the pecking order,
Any resemblance relegated to the lowest ranks,
Patiently waiting to get that initial experience,
Then queueing up to escape at their third anniversary,
While others were being promoted on potential,
My kind needed mentorship, and yet another training,
Like on a treadmill, always running to stay still,
Rotting in the same role for years on end,
Coaching them all so they can leapfrog over,
Revisited the contract, in case I had missed anything,
Indeed, the small print read, ‘assimilate or leave!’
Tried code-switching, yet I still didn’t belong!
Been constantly told to be patient and to wait,
Then treated like an angry moron when it’s due,
Slowly the mind began to believe the rhetoric,
Such is an emptying feeling,
Stripped of an identity, language and history,
Now devoid of imagination and willpower,
What’s! The! Point!
