Passing By A Tribal Weekly Fair In Bastar Poem by Jagannath rao Adukuri

Yesterday was the day of cockfights
The birds stared at their bound legs
Waiting to bleed their bird-friends
Our white fluid glistened in the pots
We went high on smelly rice drinks.
We made a rope circle among trees,
That was the bloody arena for cocks.
Our basket threw up big plastic dice,
Our village youth staked day’s labor.
Our children now have blue uniforms-
They will one day be clerks in office.