The Birth of a Teacher

The Birth of a Teacher, originally uploaded by firoze shakir photographerno1.

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I walk through the slums to reach my workplace , I interact with a few kids , Suraj after schools sits and runs his uncles provision store ..he uncles kids study outside , they hardly play with the kids around them.

I asked a few of the what they would want to be , maybe their replies I cannot give you exactly but I give you the gist..I took the names of a few people and got their response..

I asked them if they wanted be Madam Sonia Gandhi.. they collectively said no.. I asked them why they said they did not have her stature..

I asked them if they wanted to be Rahul Gandhi they all said yes..I asked them why..the replied they were fed up of seeing the nation run by fools old men and sycophants..the last word was colloquially abusive so I have not used it here..

But the kid in the picture looked up at me and said Uncle if everyone becomes a neta politician , a film star, a cricketer , tennis player who will teach the nation I have decided I will become a teacher when I grow up , my poem is my tribute to him and all the teachers of the world.

he has dreams
he has hopes
a destination
he wants to reach
yes when
he becomes
a bit older
the slum kids
he would like
to teach
i asked him
if he wanted
to be a politician
or a priest
he replied
looking
directly
into my eyes
no sir
i do not
want to preach
or the soul
of humanity
breach
to make me
worthy
of this
gift of life
to the almighty
to make me a
teacher
i beseech
i am
but a pebble
washed away
on the beach