Ho Hum Poem by Manjula Reddy

red was his color
he liked them young
visited the red light area
cheap liquor made him numb

husband, office clerk, by day
and a doting father too
pretty daughter just fifteen
into a beauty she grew

of course they were very poor
lived under a thin tin roof
there never was enough for them
he grew distant and aloof

looked forward to his visit to the brothel
for there his fantasies came true
renewed, he felt worthwhile again
his confidence then grew

early one evening, an ordinary day
the sky fell upon his head
debts piled up in front of him 
moneylender  wanted him dead

where should he go? what should he do?
no one to help him out
so he went to find his solace
in the red light area, down south

he needed to be feel alive again
a young, fresh girl should do
just the right treatment
for this illness worse than the flu

he walked into the tiny room
jasmine fragrance in the air
sold his watch and chain too
to get the best they had out there

she sat upon the four poster bed
beautiful, fresh and new
calm and quiet, as if drugged
his dear daughter, Ghunghroo