Corruption

by Renton de Alwis

What school did you go to?
They asked.
What am I to say?

What does that matter?

Which club do you belong to?
They asked.What am I to say?

What does it matter?

What values did they teach you?
What skills do you have?

Are you a good man?

Can you be trusted?

Do you help the fallen?

Do you care to care?

Do you give?

Do you take? 

They never asked me that.

Are you blind?

Can you see?
Do you hear?
Do you listen?
How well do you speak?
Enjoy the sounds of silence?

They never asked me that.

Only, if I went to the right school,

played for the right club,

knew the right people,

and spoke like they did.

That is all they asked.

If this is not corruption,

What then is?

 

Written in June 2009