COMMISSION GHOSTS

COMMISSION GHOSTS

A rustic reached a cosmopolitan city
Together with his family and young children
Brimmed with hopes and curiosity:
A new life, a new occupation and a new den!
 
First he met a traffic police man
Who told to board a more convenient van.
Then he turned to a person for a quick solution
To locate a more affordable accommodation.
 
Approached he then a job provider
Welcomed who with his arms wider.
Being appointed within an instant
Joys inside started to be rampant.
 
Glad to find the pseudo god-incarnates
He asked his neighbour for a better tuition
Where his children could top the institution;
Gladder to help, he too arranged for his monthly ration
Introduced him with a soft speaking family (physician) leech
For cheaper treatments, commissioned tests and easier reach!
 
How fortunate and rapturous he was there!
How, like Ben Adhem, the species were rare!
Alas! Until himself obsessed by the same Commission Ghost
He remembered them with an indebted, submissive respect utmost.

N.B: This poem deals with the commission systems almost at every sphere of life mostly in cities. Even the victim of commission of yesterday practises the same when he is acquainted with the same prevalent system.

©Dr. Shankar D Mishra   15.01.2017

Glossary :

Rustic – A simple person from a village – ग्रामीण व्यक्ति

Cosmopolitan – Related to a big modern city with people from many places – महानगरीय / विश्वनागरिक

Brimmed – Filled to the top – परिपूर्ण / पूरा भरा हुआ

Curiosity – Desire to know or learn – जिज्ञासा

Den – Shelter or dwelling place – आश्रय / निवास स्थान

Convenient – Suitable and comfortable – सुविधाजनक

Affordable – Not too expensive; within one’s budget – किफायती / वहनीय

Accommodation – Place to live – आवास

Job provider – Employer – नियोक्ता

Rampant – Spreading quickly; uncontrolled – उग्र / अनियंत्रित रूप से फैलने वाला

Pseudo – False; pretending to be something – झूठा / मिथ्या

Incarnate – In human form; embodied – अवतारित / साकार रूप में

Tuition – Extra coaching or teaching – ट्यूशन / अतिरिक्त शिक्षण

Institution – Educational organization – संस्था

Ration – Fixed amount of food supply – राशन

Physician – Doctor – चिकित्सक

Leech – Blood-sucking worm; here metaphor for exploitative person – जोंक; यहाँ शोषक व्यक्ति के अर्थ में

Commissioned tests – Medical tests advised for earning commission – कमीशन के लिए सुझाए गए परीक्षण

Rapturous – Filled with great joy – अत्यन्त हर्षित

Species – Kind or type; here meaning people of a rare kind – जाति / प्रकार

Ben Adhem – Reference to Leigh Hunt’s poem “Abou Ben Adhem” symbolizing love for humanity – बेन अदीम (ली हंट की कविता का पात्र, मानव-प्रेम का प्रतीक)

Alas – Expression of sorrow – हाय / अफसोस

Obsessed – Completely influenced or possessed – ग्रस्त / आसक्त

Commission – Percentage of profit given for recommending services – कमीशन / दलाली

Indebted – Grateful or owing something – कृतज्ञ / ऋणी

Submissive – Humble; showing obedience – विनीत / अधीन

Utmost – Highest degree – अत्यधिक / सर्वोच्च

Courtesy : ChatGPT