I know, two poems in one day! Hehe, do try to read them both. The one below this is lighter, if you prefer that type. :-)
I know I suck at seious poetry. However, as I was travelling today, I saw many beggars at the signals, some lame, some without hands. I thought of this poem as I was thinking about their plight...
Alms
As I stand beside your car
To be looked upon with shame
And I beg to you for alms
That never this way came.
Those who, from east or west,
Answer Mumbai's call
I confess, I am the lowest
Of them all.
I don't blame you, so do not care
Do not give me your rupee
Maybe you need it more than me
Leave us to a goverment that is nowhere.
We don't blame them, as we rot
For their vote bank, we are not.
The one thing that we share
With people whose lives are bright
Is not the joy of fashion-wear
But that of drugs in dark of night.
From my birth, I am a mistake
For every moment under the sun
Even as I am burnt at my wake
I remain one.
Do comment. Suggestions for improvement, are, as always, welcome. :-)
Though the poem is thoughtful, we must not show sympathy or compassion for beggars. Many children are forced into begging by paople who take commissions out of their earnings. This nexus exists in all Indian cities. Giving alms only encourages these rascals to force more innocent children into the trade...
ReplyDeleteI could not agree more with you, absconding. However, what I wish to highlight is the nature of their life: we should not give them alms, yet they have nothing else to do. Whichever way we treat them, their life is bound to be very, very, hard.
ReplyDeleteI agree that this is a serious problem and law enforcement has turned a blind eye to it. But as always, I refuse to bekieve that there is absolutely no way to get the children, who are forced into the trade, out of the morass. We cannot really help adult beggars much but we have prevent children from being exploited further. You have given me an idea for a new post. In my next post I'll try and probe deeper into this problem and its possible solutions. Not to mention, the solutions have to be practical as well as economically feasible. I will try to explore ways by which we can take a majority of kids off the streets.
ReplyDeleteI thought you might like this. He's my dad's friend. And his other articles especially 'A potent weapon' are equally good.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.gather.com/viewArticle.jsp?articleId=281474976795082
Wow. I didn't know that begging was so common over there. Or so big a problem. It's sad :(
ReplyDeleteI where I live the closest to begging I see is people asking for 50c for a "phone call"
nice poem...mail it to the editor of times or dna....m sure its gonna get published....let mumbai read this poem!
ReplyDelete