South Mumbai #2: Horniman Circle At Break of Day

The blush of the early morning sun
Brings out the toilers to their toes.
Like myriad ants they crawl about,
Each one at his morning chores.

The open space, the parking lot
Or the narrow footpath tracks
Find these sub-human men
Squatting on their backs.

Each one calls to his own God,
Picks himself somehow clean,
Puts to shame the haughty priests;
Piety more is rarely seen.

The morning ablutions all then done,
Each one girds up to face the day.
Hustling, touting, scheming, shouting-
Before sundown to make their hay,
Copyright © | Year Posted 2005

Poem

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Goff Avatar
March 25, 2018 at 2:47 PM
Good snapshot of sunrise in one of the worlds biggest cities...sure a world away from mine here in Minnesota, Karam...thank you!
Misra Avatar
March 25, 2018 at 11:34 PM
Thank you for the appreciation, James. These scenes happen in the by lanes of Mumbai. roadside, homeless entrepreneurs get ready for the spiel and hustle before the white collared silvertongued corporate hustlers hit the streets.
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