Bad Publicity

I fired an employee, I am remorseful and sad,

To prove it I post a picture, ensuring light is not bad.

By virtue of my tears, I've landed in a soup,

that my emotions are real, is a bowl full of poop.

I disparage employees, who moonlight and hustle,

On top of work life balance, they now have work work tussle,

I've reached a high ground, from where I can about ethics preach, 

Without understanding the reasons, I sue for contract breach. 

I advise employees, to slog for 18 hours a day, 

Work compulsively, even if it leads to burnout, say. 

They are young, unmarried and isn't work worship?

Shouldn't waste time rejuvenating, even sleep they can skip! 

Just because you are a CEO, you get so much limelight,

And when you are rightly trolled, you are the victim - is the height!

The Days

The day has gone, I'm filled with loss,

The joy of living, has gone for a toss. 

Withdrawing in a shell, drowning in aqua,

Isolating myself,  I shut the hearts chakra. 

The day is approaching, my heart beats wild,

To get rid of the fear, I close my eyes like a child.

When I can't see ahead,  I conjure a future bleak,

I bet hard on myself, that I'm on a losing streak.

The day has arrived, but I barely take note,

I'm in the middle of nowhere, seasick in the boat.

Drifting and rudderless, I pine for air or land,

Bored to death, worked by the invisible hand.

Vini, Vidi, Vici, I wish I could say,

The days may be lost, but the moments will stay.

Brothers-In-Arms

Sworn enemies, swords drawn,  

In this battlefield, I am, but just a pawn. 

Each side convinced, its on the side of Dharma, 

To fight with equanimity, is my Karma. 

Each morning begins, with josh and energy,

I fight for my brothers, not for state or clergy. 

The monster across, the enemy line,

If I could get him soon, all would be fine.  

As night sets in, and ceasefire declared,

Is he dead or alive, I must have cared. 

For I went into the Land, where No Man goes,

And on his bleeding dead body, I placed a white rose.

 

If I see you in the daytime, I swear I'll kill,

To face you in the night, is a task uphill.  

The Moving Target

Writing code, logical and true, 

Getting kicks from, debugging it too.

Zeros and Ones, slowly lost their charm,

I schemed to become, the more equal pig in the farm.

 

Managing people, getting out of them best,

So much wasted potential, how can I rest?

Played Pygmalion a lot, now its time to move, 

From blogging to a psychology career, is a point to prove.

Working with psychologists, leading a team, 

Making on ground impact, I with pride beam.

I've just now arrived, is it time to depart?

I want to be more deeply involved, play a more human part.

From coder to manager, to a psychology expert,

At the end, if I am not a poet, its still going to hurt.

Being an Entrepreneur

Money is the least of your concern, time and repute are also gone,

Success has many fathers, when you fail, you fail alone.

For every unicorn out there, billions fold in the year one,

The nest egg exhausted way back, but you are still not done.

 

The mirage alluring you forward, has taken your prime of youth,

Shattered illusions are progress, are lies for the heart to soothe. 

'You do not fail, you learn', inching closer to product market fit,

No oasis in sight, with every step you take, you lose yourself a bit.

Why venture into the desert, you can play in the sand pit at home,  

Why stake your honor for this quest- not in a day was built Rome. 

Its a long and arduous journey, that only fools can partake,

If you don't get the Grail, that too in time, many lives are at stake.  

Today indeed, I'll hit the jackpot, to believe this daily I've got to be insane,

But would I trade these delusions for a job, aren't they the reasons I'm the man I became.

The Marketplace

Polish your profile, comment on others' post,

Build up your presence, don't be afraid to boast. 

Pick topics that are topical, market yourself well,

Keep rehashing old stuff, ghost written- who can tell!

So and so is hiring, catches the corner of your eyes,

You have to close the deal and fast, no matter how many lies.

Aren't all creative with the truth, its time you got yourself sold,

Target achieved before quarter end, sitting on a mine of gold.

Induction over, real work begins, of sucking up to boss,

Marketing and sales achieved to a T, CX shouldn't go for a toss.

Bend over backwards, buy maska in lots, learn to manage up,

When payments and renewals don't happen in time, leave in a huff. 

Yes I'm ready to sell myself, its dehumanizing and not fair,

But am I the only culprit, when so many buyers are there? 

Turning Pro

I am a fool, who loves to write,

No compulsions, the mood is light.

Flitting between, one form and the other,

Tinkering on the surface, never digging further. 

I am a fool, who toils to write,

The mood is sombre- filled with plight.

Contorting to fit, in the given form,

I struggle and suffer, to break from the norm.

No more a fool, I dare to write,

The mood is jubilant- I've won the fight.  

Mastering a form, churning sonnets at will,

To rise like a phoenix, was a journey uphill.

 

Up and onward, I should have turned pro- on the way to be the best,

Another 'sonnet', I shoot myself in the foot- back to the fool's quest. 

A Fulfilling Life

Its deeply held, I want to get there,

It may hurt as hell, but everything is fair. 

To reach the top, I'll move ahead of the pack,

After winning the race, to square one I'm back. 

Easy and nice, I want to live in the now,

Forget all my worries, but don't know how.

Like a pig in the mud, I let my hairs down,

Hangovers are for mornings, for now lets drown. 

I don't dream now, I just have nightmares,

Reaching the top is horrible - I was caught unawares. 

The lazing in the afternoon, has lost its charm,

I've realized I'll be slaughtered, like the pig in the farm. 

Neither success nor pleasure, let me be driven by whats right,

A fulfilling life would happen- only then in hindsight. 

 

Night Time Dilemmas

Alone at night, I ponder my fate,

What I love in my job, which parts I hate,

What would be constant in all, that I cannot circumvent,

And what is buried inside, that I simply cant vent.

 

Awake at night, I reflect on my choices,

How the job shapes me, a wolf in sheep's guises, 

Running with the hare and hunting with the hounds,

That I am broken inside, is finally making the rounds.

 

Alert at night, I plan my move,

How the job can liberate, get me back in a groove,

Though with eyes wide open I'm forced to see,

That I'm not for myself, I've to give more of me.

I can close my eyes, its still not late,

Alone at night, I ponder my fate.