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Responsibility  
 
Polani’s tongue twitched, throat throttled, 
The burning heat churned up his blood. 
By the office window he stood 
Slating stiffly the sleeping wind! 

He turned to the perspiring clock: 
It was sliding like a sluggish snail! 
The oven-room was baking him, 
Pooh, he couldn’t work with aching head! 

At last the snail reached the break-time! 
Polani, his wet shirt unbraced, 
Flew straight to the nearest cafe, 
Gulped some drinks down and quenched his thirst: 
A..a..h!  pcha!  cooling... what a feeling! 
Relieved and refreshed he returned 
And on his work concentrated. 

Ntsika, his compeer, thought of beer; 
It could quell his growing thirst better! 
So to a good bar he sauntered: 
“It’s fine, nectar-like”, he murmured. 
But his beer failed to revive him, 
Being bibulous tied himself 
To the bar drinking his earnings, 
Unmindful of his office work! 

A medical certificate 
Greeted Ntsika’s boss the next day!