Employee in Knots

On the way to the airport
the FM radio blared- a tamil song.....
"having caught a koel and put in a cage
you order it to sing
Having tied the legs of a peacock
you order it to dance......"

the lines caught my attention
so true, so true-was this song
written for the corporate situation ?
but how did the poet know the plight
of the corporate employee-the employee in knots.

when he joins he is all energy- excitement
chest jutting out- raring to go
within a few days- he is put in his place
immediate colleagues themselves are vary
don't want him to be 'too smart' & a threat

so give him half information- no job clarity
delay assigning the table chair
the system & other resources...
soon enough he caves in
 is cut down to size and  now
fits in to our way of life

Deadly mix of insecurity and Ego
play havoc with the lives of the average employee
he is tied up in knots-
one knot initiated by insecurity
the next one by the Ego
followed by insecurity
and then the Ego

Later, even those with fancy designations
are given subtle hints- that their power is limited
they need to follow rather than set the trend
subtle hints aplenty- not invited to this meeting
not invited to speak in that - polished rebuke to the one
who won't take the hint...
soon most fall in line- Man does live for bread
whatever the theorists might say
dignity and self respect sacrificed
at the alter of necessity

Having tied them in  knots
having removed the teeth of the tiger
you complain when it suits you
 that you have harmless cats without drive
when all the while you never wanted tigers
just cats that will do your bidding
purr when you want it to

yet how much more powerful
and wonderful it would be
if all of us were tigers
acknowledging and respecting each other
giving our best- pepped up with enthusiasm
working in unison  for the cause of our mother....
our organisation!