Experts & Views
INTERNSHIP: Hidden Camera reveals the INTERN, a name change and his DEATH
This is a long poem and has no rhyming scheme but if you read it in a rhythm and read it for fun, things will rhyme.
Note- What the associate of the firm says is in ‘CAPS’.
Note (further) - Something on Trademarks. Trademarks are divided into various classes. For example ‘class 1’ might deal with ‘furniture’; ‘class 2’ with ‘toys’; ‘class 3’ with ‘hotels’ etc.
AND SO THEY WROTE...
It was the intern’s first day at work.
Clean shaved; he arrived at eight
And waited with a bated breath
To see what life ‘as an intern’ held.
Meanwhile he checked his formal shirt,
Formal pants and formal shoes.
‘Formal’ was an informed choice,
‘Be prepared...’ (A lawyer’s ploy).
Back when 1000 mails he did send
Querying about ‘work’, ‘stipend’, ‘dress’ and ‘time’,
Alas! No replies had come to 999,
One said ‘research’, ‘no’, ‘9-6’ and ‘formal is fine’.
[It was a new place for the intern,
In a new city he was encapsulated in.
He looked around- big buildings, dusty squalls,
And then he realised; his capsule was small].
He bade goodbye to such philosophical thoughts
And moved inside the office; “So Posh”!
And said “Good morning ma’am! I am Rohan”,
“Oh! The intern”, she replied (We are expecting your lot).
“Please come. This work station is yours”
“Be seated Rohan, till work comes”, she called.
He remained seated, and no work came
During lunch...behold! Somebody did take his name!
(Or something which sounded similar...same?)
He jumped, excited, he jumped, did not walk.
He jumped to that man, he jumped to his voice,
The voice he heard, had just called his name,
Ah! The intern (Under sun, this, his place).
“HI! I AM RANJIT, ASSOCIATE, IP DIVISION”
“WELCOME” (welcome, a little late for cohesion)
“YOU WILL WORK UNDER ME” (under my weight you’ll die)
“MAKE YOURSELF COMFORTABLE” (here! Have some chai)
Two biscuits and three pleasantries later
He was given a bundle of documents and a letter
Containing 1,2...150 trademarks to be filed
“THE WORK IS RESEARCH” (hope you won’t mind).
The intern was happy...his purpose of life
He attacked the work like: Dogs and bones, Jaggery and flies
He learnt the work through the pre loaded files
Training for puppies (coz puppies can’t fly).
Every class had a different mark...
Trademark...he noted it religiously in a copy.
“Every religion is just the same
A bundle of thoughts, a different name...”
Ah! The musings! Were troubling him again.
He concentrated on his work! The trademark work,
Working fast, concentrated and with flair (feigned)
His clean shaven (ignore dirty pimples) face
Had now bristles of black hair...”SO FINE
YOU CAN LEAVE, IT IS ALREADY NINE”.
“All right sir. Thank you. I have filled fif...”
“RIGHT...RIGHT MOHAN! I’LL SEE THAT TOM” (miffed)
“It is Rohan Sir...” (smiling)
“OH! SORRY”! (smiling, snarling).
The next day he came at nine,
A new shirt and new shoes that shone.
Clean shaven again (from the Gillette’s store),
He started on Trademarks (razor blades, class five).
‘Toys’, ‘underwear’, ‘furniture’ and ‘perfumes’
And such daily items of daily use
Formed a part of his ‘research’
A research which did contusions produce.
(Life paralysing, brain tumour causing contusions).
‘Food’, ‘milk’, ‘clothes’ and ‘toys’,
More research... (A lawyer’s ploy)
To make the intern get rid off
All that he cares, all that he enjoys.
The internship was completed, the research was done.
“NICE JOB MOHAN. HOPE YOU HAD FUN”
(The associate remarked).
“It is Rohan, Sir”. “OH! SORRY” (the second time)
(Two times, they had talked).
But he had learnt, and so he hoped
And researched ‘on various areas of law’
And so they wrote; on his certificate which said
“MOHAN SUCCESSFULLY INTERNED...”(And returned dead).
Disclaimer: Any resemblance to anyone living, dead or in between is delusionary.
PS- To people with money: If I made you smile with this poem, you might consider giving some cash; so that we writers survive and make you smile more. Contact blogging[at]legallyindia.com
threads most popular
thread most upvoted
comment newest
first oldest
first
PS1: see nowadays u dont even need to tell me to check out stuff! (u know what i mean!)
PS2: hope u r well....and all the very best for the remaining! (you know what i mean!)
All I can do is just nod my head in awe. Another well manufactured piece from your factory. I must say this is the best product I have read till date. Admire your fearlessness in an open forum like this one!
Wishing you all the best as you are about to start another cycle like this one a few days from now...
BTW...up so late (early riser! I can't believe)
Awesome post again Poet. Clearly, the keyboard is mightier than the sword.
And I haven't yet weilded the sword, to know its power!
Encore, Legal Poet!
Btw, the rhyming effort is seen at ...
Querying about ‘work’, ‘stipend’, ‘dress’ and ‘time’,
...
One said ‘research’, ‘no’, ‘9-6’ and ‘formal is fine’.
(as opposed to - One said ‘research’, ‘no’, ‘formal is fine’ and ‘9-6’.) :D
Yah...but I guess the meaning is clear.
And ermmm...other poems don't relate to law...I sometimes tinker with my poems to relate it to some legal thing (the previous poem on the sexiest law school is an example)...if I start putting everything and anything here...the editor might have to get going with his job.
Keep up the good work! Cheerios!
Thank you 25, I think the picture was a bit exaggerated :)
26, thank you
That is what an internship ideally is, a practical course. And if the firms are ready to spend some time and effort for the practical training, the interns should be ready to cough up some money. What say?
Thanks for reading the poem in detail!
@30...glad that you liked it.
Firstly - "Employees" is certainly not a term that a professional Advocate should choose to classify himself /herself as. We chose to be professionals, not employees. If you insist on choosing to be an employee then you should be giving up your sunnad (licence to practice).
Secondly - every professional lawyer makes efforts to 'get the work' which eventually and hopefully brings the money. Interns and Associates very rarely bring in any work - they are only doing the work. Work which your Seniors are themselves capable of doing and in much shorter time than you yourself would do. But yes, it is the routine & may be mundane, that the Interns and Associates are asked to handle. But nevertheless, you cannot be choosing the work when you have not brought it in in the first place.
Thirdly - "Craploads" - a terminology that you have used, shows that you are not at all passionate of the profession itself. It is work, and not 'crap' ! Your fundamentals are misplaced!!
36, It is you vs. 33 for now. Nice debate.
yea offce gave me everything but no work!
threads most popular
thread most upvoted
comment newest
first oldest
first