NOIS

I had a feeling that this was going to become popular even as I was writing this at three in the morning. Yes, you read it right - at three in the morning. Somehow, this particular night, the onsite problem kept bothering me and I could sleep peacefully only after I finished the poem. If you are not an Indian software engineer and are reading this post, then the poem surely might not strike a chord. That is because you do not understand the term onsite and the situation and hence the essence. I would try to explain it to you, but how much of it would mean more than the rhyme scheme to you is any Indian software engineer's guess. An onsite, in very simple terms, is an opportunity for an Indian software engineer to work abroad at client location. This means s/he is handsomely paid for the job and returns back home richer. No wonder an onsite opportunity is the dream of every Indian software engineer. With all the modesty, though it would not be very evident after I boast, I can tell you that this poem has been read by atleast a hundred thousand Indian software engineers, who spend more than half their day reading and forwarding stupid forwards, one of which happened to be my poem. Methinks, the crux of writing a popular poem is not being a good poet but writing something that is close to the hearts of the audience. After, being forwarded without credits to the artist and being uploaded on a few blogs as if it was original content, I present it here with dual purpose - for you and to stake claim to my intellectual property.

No Onsite In Sight (NOIS)
The pressure was heavy, the schedule was tight,
Slogged like a dog, coded with all might,
Worked through the day, sat late in the night,
But for me, there is no onsite in sight…

She meets me for coffee, she catches up for a bite,
As I write this stupid poem, she is packing for her third long flight,
What did I do wrong, that she did right?
Why for me, there is no onsite in sight…

Want to climb the Eiffel, see Paris from that height,
Want to see the felled Berlin wall sipping beer light,
Want to bet that dollar as I see Vegas by the night,
Unfortunately for me, there is no onsite in sight…

Talked to my boss, with her I had a fight,
But she earns too much to understand my plight,
Now I don’t work that hard, I take it light,
Because for me, there is no onsite in sight…

The future is dark, it ain’t bright,
Life is routine, office bus I will board and alight,
Stay offshore and code byte by byte,
For me, there is no onsite in sight…