Is it a free world we live in?
Under constant glare and surveillance,
Each person, all aspects of life;
Every aspect of privacy under the scanner,
Infringes basic rights of privacy of individuals,
Right from the skies, cameras in space;
Keeps a watch on aspects hitherto uncovered!
It’s surveillance all the time!
Since man gained control of space,
Denying rivals freedom of action in space,
Spy satellites to keep a tab over the rivals,
Hegemony over the rest his sole aim,
Wars and battles won, strength not enough;
Winning based on actions with knowledge prior,
Critical positions thru’ images,
Restive World, its competition ulterior,
Terrain watch, gazing boundaries across,
Not only their own but beyond,
Scanning stars, galaxies, and even far away!
Technologies to find life existing elsewhere,
Migrating sole aim as resources exhaust on Earth,
No sense of responsibility, no care taken;
Abandon after using, a problem so acute;
Here there and everywhere,
Problems remain the same,
Checks to master all, keep controls in hand;
Checking the Nature, safety checks in, supposedly;
It’s surveillance all the time!
Games played for entertainment,
Now gazed thru’ remote eye,
Professionals, play for livelihood;
Breadwinners on tenterhooks,
Playing for masters, fat some salaries they play for;
Remain silent, knowing weakness recorded,
On display, howsoever unprofessional it be,
For money is “All that Matters”!
For surveillance is there all the way!
Despite human eyes and mind involved,
Umpiring decisions ultimate, Oh, no longer!
On the ground not enough, third umpire matters;
Technical supports, technicalities involved;
Hawkeye to declare a person off the game,
Is it in the spirit of the game, even game worthy?
Playing games to entertain now irrelevant.
It’s surveillance time, all the time!
“Winning or losing not important”, an adage;
Spirit of game no longer a part;
Aiming to win, strategies changed;
Technical aspects checked, affect competitions?
Games played to galleries, betting with insiders;
Survive in game, excelling for long, not easy now,
Top-notch players withering away!
Misuse of surveillance all the way!
In-camera recordings, shared and publicised;
Weakness in-camera, unable for human eyes to;
Ability to check core weakness of the best,
Confirmed time and again, laptop with Coaches,
Advisory to players from information therein,
Never heard in cricket before in ongoing games,
Happened in Edgbaston, a bouncer signaled,
Coach knew weakness, the player got caught out;
Surveillance this time used for winning anyway!
Is it any sign of gamesmanship?
Sportsman spirit at stake,
Oh, no worries, not important anymore;
Manipulators outside now control the game,
Making more than players in the game!
Developing sports or destroying its spirit,
Watergate scandal should be normal then,
Winning for, voice or in-camera, same anyway;
Computer-guided is playing beyond one’s ability,
Advantage surveillance used for winning ways!
Playing as guided by advisers a common sighting,
Deciding victor and loser, no sign of ability;
To win on one’s ability, under question;
Integrity of the spirit of the game in doubt,
Impression created is one of loss of interest,
Time to keep internal cameras on,
Mitigate surveillance, need of the hour;
Matches of yesteryears interesting to watch,
Performance their own, way they played;
Results unanticipated, kept interested till the end,
Surveillance used; unfair advantage taken!
Result predicted before with swings in between,
Kills the interest, why even see if result known;
See the percent swing, decide if worth watching;
See to confirm if the game followed the pattern,
Betting and match-fixing a recent scourge,
Mathematical predictions getting truer now,
Ability to predict victor out of multiple teams,
In a way match-fixing or mathematical issues!
With no interest left, let declare winner too!
Pre-emptively winner’s trophy before tournament!
Kills the excitement the game played for!
Surveillance manipulates interest left in the game!
Yester year’s winners been pushed out of race,
Rules manipulated, turf changed, Astroturf now;
A turf used to trample any opposition,
Indian hockey, eight times Olympic champions;
Wizardry of legendary Dhyan Chand examined,
Use of the hockey stick given a close look!
With time rules changed the way the game played!
Out manipulated with rules changed,
Champions left high and dry,
Slowly limping back to glory days!
Surveillance used to manipulate rules checking winning ways!
With weaknesses exposed, rivals gain;
Unknown previously gets known;
Made to play unplayable, the winner ends a loser,
How useless things could get!
A concept that has changed the game,
Financial interests prevent winner over again,
Abiding with times, forget Rights;
Learn to live and thrive!
Compete to win, whatever that takes one to!
Surveillance has changed the games now played!
~Dr. Rajesh Chauhan
New Delhi, India
May be most lengthy till now. 👌👌
Surveillance All the Time
A poem by Dr Rajesh Chauhan, is an irony on the misuse of technology, a good attempt to warn the world against the Surveillance technology. The poet through poem, tells us our privacy is in danger due to the Surveillance through modern technology .
Men has sent satellite in space for Surveillance to show his strength, competition arises in space between powerful countries. Technology to find life in space whereas we are not caring the earth.
Misuse of technology also affecting the games and sports. The poet describes Surveillance in cricket where umpires decision on the ground is changed by third umpire due to use of technology.
Poet describes how the spirit of sportsmanship is spoiled by use of surveillance technology. The sole aim is to win. By the misuse of technology, experts search weakness of opposite player and tell his player to use and win. Winner don’t win with his ability but wins with the help of technology. Prediction by surveillance technology encouraging betting in all parts of life either in sports or in politics spoils the entertainment and excitement.
So,we see how the poet describes the misuse of surveillance technology affecting the day to day work of humanity. Poet warns all nations and request them to stop challenging the nature to save humanity.
Thank you for the vivid description of the poem, Surveillance All The Time. The detail embedded in the poem could’nt have been better explained!
Thank you for the vivid description of the poem, Surveillance All The Time. The detail embedded in the poem couldn’t have been better explained!