by B. R. GOWANI
IMAGE/Google/Free Vector
a person was offering prayers at a grave
a curious passerby asked:
“whose grave is this?”
“it’s mine and of all those workers who are being exploited”
was the reply
“this is confusing to me,
as you’re outside the grave,
and so are the exploited workers
how then can this grave be yours?”
“every dead person doesn’t have to be in the grave”
“but the problem is you people are not dead”
“are you saying every breathing person
should be considered alive?”
“as far as our world is concerned, that’s a fact”
“right there, you’re absolutely wrong, my friend”
“what are your arguments to support your point?”
“workers at an Amazon warehouse pee in bottles
because they’re always rushing around to finish their work
Apple summons 8,000 workers at midnight at a moment’s notice
they are given tea/cookies and
have to start work right away
tens of millions of people are now in bonded labor
…
so do you still really think we are alive?
no we, and them, are dead”
“well, I understand your point
nonetheless, a grave needs a body or bodies
in order to be called a ‘grave’
you and the exploited workers are outside the grave
so what is inside the grave?”
“we have buried our dignity, self-esteem, self-respect
and we mourn our collective usurped rights
which have been crushed by ruthless capitalists like Jeff Bezos,
into this grave here”
B. R. Gowani can be reached at brgowani@hotmail.com