A Metropolitan City Poem by Tribhawan Kaul

This is a metropolitan city
where
cluster of trees here and there
poles vertically standing in a row
unlimited vehicles plying bumper to bumper
on a cemented road.

This is a metropolitan city
where
shivering bodies numbed and starved
with sagging breasts and quivering lips
watching
intoxicated half naked
guffawing insensitive rich
swaying and rocking
shamelessly
and five star culture mocking
those despairing eyes
searching for a morsel in the rubbish.

This is a metropolitan city
where
skyscrapers seem touching the sky
with unimaginable heights
dusty slums braving everything under the sky*
with open nights
but two can never meet
difference is so vast and complete
between capitalists and proletariat.

This is a metropolitan city
where
everything can be sold and bought
animals to mammals from the black kity.
Clubs, theatres, Cafe Coffee Days
youngsters enchanted by American ways
busy but distressed/distraught public
fed up and always feeling sick
of
unemployment, strikes, and riots
extremism, terrorism and separatism
death lurking every nook and corner
politics being major donor
scamsters and crafty not paying price.

This is a metropolitan city
where
some are uncivilized
some are thieves
yet no one bothers to see
and who cares
as this is a metropolitan city
much bigger in name than a normal city
being showcased to wondering visitors
as a world class
cheers ... cheers!