My heart bleeds when I behold
The beggars in tatters, shivering in biting cold
In front of junctions feasting,
Some with bellies shrunk,
Their skeletons peeping through their bodies,
Children and women gazing at the rich with
a watering tongue getting the flavours
of their dainties with their eyes.
II
The scene at such places,
When all guests have left,
Is but very pitiable when one sees
men and women, small children,
boys and girls alike struggling with
dogs and pigs to stake their “title”
over the leftover eatables.
III
Nature showers its bounties great,
Without any discrimination and hate,
Between rich and poor, blacks and whites,
But men have created divides artificial,
For politics or for wealth.
The pets of the rich, I see,
Are luckier than the homo sapiens
vegetating in the gutters.
IV
A scene: a limousine stops
In a corner of the street,
Or at the traffic red light,
Some of species – homo sapiens scurry
For milk of human kindness,
While feline or canine species,
Whom God put much low in hierarchy
of creation, enjoy the comforts of
the air conditioned and the seats cushioned,
I see the homo sapiens in the glasses dark,
Present a reality stark
showing a heart desiccated
and a soul benumbed
putting down the glasses,
lest their “mood” be spoilt at the party.
V
Hope of the homo sapiens is torn to shreds,
When the car speeds away
leaving a trail of smoke black,
The forces feline and the species canine
look with surprise,
At the numb homo sapiens,
Sitting in the car air-conditioned.
VI
Running towards another red light
To reach the location bright,
The site where the dames in costumes rich,
Look like worse than bitch.
What else shall I call them,
When they are numb
To others’ dolours and travails?
|
