The Icecream-man

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The Ice cream-Man

So gaily do they walk
With their heavy lot- door to door-
-from this alley to that
Their skin darkened in the sun
And their brow filled with perspiration
It’s a longing that their eyes show
A longing to sit and let the weariness go
A long wait from dawn, for a peaceful sleep
Oh! But for heaven’s sake-
There’s no rain, no shade, not even a vine does creep
The heat’s so wicked & the monsoon’s fake.
Burns in their bare feet and boils in their back
Clad in dirty rags; but a cheerful smile-
They never lack.
They cry their daily pleasant monotonous song
“Hey! Here he comes,” say the children hearing those
What they have, all to the kids does belong
Their presence brings fresh smiles
To have a look of which they cycle miles and miles
On seeing a face beaming with joy
Their lips too spread and it’s the gift of pleasing smile
That they too enjoy.
I feel happy when they sport it
With their cracked lips opened a bit
And their cheeks dimpled- grow hollow
They are relieved then, from the longing
That they had ever to follow.
I gladly watch the tiny tots-
Licking their ice cream sticks, those colourful spots
“Bye Bye” the ice cream-man shouts back with regret
Waving back their little hands, to the next day they eagerly wait.

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Queeristan by Parmesh Sahani

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  Queeristan (Amazon Link) Thanks to Audible Free Trial I listened to this amazing non-fiction on LGBTQ inclusion in Indian workplaces. Author Parmesh Sahani identifies as gay Indian, working closely with Godrej higher management and employees for years to create an inclusive workplace, both legally and in spirit. This book is a result of those years of experience, research, collaboration with individuals from difference spectrum of the society and organizations who has successfully transitioned into a queer friendly one.   Indian history is inclusive. From the Khajuraho temple architectures, to Konark to the Rig Veda, there is existing proofs even 2000 years ago of Indian inclusiveness of queer. It’s the draconian British law that criminalised it, which was scraped in 2009, came into effect once again following a sad judgement in 2013 and eventually was scraped off for good in 2018. I am in awe of the lawyers who fought this legal battle- colleagues and partners – Arundhati Katju
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