A Day in the Back-end World !

I sit in a room with grey walls on all sides

With what little source of sunlight, been shut aside

It seems to me just like a box

My heart is sinking and mind-blocked.

With no source of positivity, no sign of hope, I’m losing my identity slowly

Just like the wilting buds, in the stagnant water on my desk, which refuse to grow.

As the clock ticks eleven, people hurriedly flow in,

Praying this morning there is no mail in their bin.

The slaves clean the system, all dirty and stale

And make sure everything is in place before London’s morning eight.

As the clock ticks eight, no sounds heard now

The queen and her army are ready to take charge now.

Slowly and gradually as the day progresses

My hope for the future further digresses.

Then falls a bomb on the Indian ground

The queen’s officer doesn't like his mistakes that you've found.

"I am the officer not you", he would say

"Now make sure everything is done in my way".

He makes me change all ‘caps to small’,

All ‘small to caps’, just to prove he’s the boss.

We work in collaboration as a team, they would say

Only to do things always their way.

Annoyed by his ways, I can’t do a thing

And curse myself for being a part of this back-end team.

Finally, when I am out of this gloomy mood

I escalate it to someone, who sings a completely different tune.

“Come on Pooja, this is not back-end

Can’t you see we are working end-to-end”.

I thank God, for not getting me into the trap

And making me understand that there is a big thinking gap.
He is doing is job well and I'm doing mine
I might have done the same, had I been on the other side.

I return to my desk, and again start doing the crap,

Cutting, copying and pasting more efficiently, to prove this time I’m in his trap.

But deep down inside me, my inner voice is mocking and telling me the truth

How much effort you put in, this work will surely not bare your desired fruits.

And reluctantly, I sit down, looking at the screen

Pretending  to do things which to me really don’t mean.

My friend and colleague, sitting to my left

Understands my mood, and knows all times I’ve wept.

He knows it well that I’ve topped in college, and in previous jobs done well,

Only to be placed among the company’s best.

He understands that this place seems to me like a jail

Of which I’ve been trying very hard to get out but have almost failed.

He tries to console and motivate me, and says tough times would end

And in this gloomy gray cell, thank God I have a friend.

Thank God there’s a team that leaves at five

Only to remind me of the ticking time.

Three more hours left for this miserable day to end,

"No hang on Pooja", I tell myself,
Only two-and a half, before I go down for dinner with friends.

Finally, I work efficiently and try wrapping up my work

Missing the tea break and the gossips world.

The last one hour is crucial for the queen’s man,

Not sure, what he’s been waiting for all day, before revealing his plans.

And there rings the phone, that has been dead all day

Its half past seven, “I hope I’m not too late” 

“No, not at all”, I tell him,

But my inner voice nays “You are just in time to spoil my date”.

“All you have to do is update the changes that I’ve made,

That wouldn't take more than fifteen minutes, had I been in your place”.

All I can do is grumble to myself,

Curse myself further, for working in this collaborative hell.

It’s already eight and the clocks have been ticking faster now

The cab driver has been calling to ensure, that I’ll be there before eight fifteen past.

I ask him to leave, and continue with my work.

Clocks are ticking even faster now, it’s soon ten-thirty and my phone begins to ring

This time it’s my proud mom, who motivates me further for taking all the pains.

It’s only on submitting my work,

An out-off-office mail tells me, that my officer would be “enjoying the next three days in Spain”.

His acts only belittle and demotivate me - for being a part of this back-end team

Disgusted and frustrated with this job, I walk down the floor

Only to pass charts at eleven at night that say “We are best in class for maintaining the Work Life flow”.