I am born as a lamb
In the meadows of caste
All around me were wolves
Educated abroad to be nationalists
My competition on the grass land
Was seen as anti-national.
My knowledge of the land, water, forests
Was seen as meritless madness.
My awareness of myself
Was seen as Un-Indian absurdity.
They wanted to swallow me
Yet I survived as I am not Eklavya
I advanced as I am not Baliraja
I declared, I am Not a Hindu, as I am not Kabir
I know the language that they never knew
I rejected the authority of all wolves
I operated outside their ideology
I am Ilaiah Shepherd