Road Traffic Accidents In Goa - One Or Two Lives Lost Everyday Poem by Bernedita Rosinha Pinto

Many cars,
heavy vehicles,
many motorbikes
many many scooters
narrow roads,
young, reckless drivers,
drunk tourists
drunk truck drivers
fling other riders
off the road
even crash pedestrians
to death;
large crowd gather
at accident site-
traffic slows down
traffic gets jammed
for a few hours,
pitiful looks
as they pass,
those who stop
threaten, quarrel
as policemen try
to calm down
an angry mob,
ambulance rushes victim
to hospital -
victim dies
makes headlines
in local newspapers
age and details
of victim revealed in full
but the name
of rash driver
not disclosed;
victim's funeral
many tears,
mother's cries
loud and clear,
neighbours mourn,
common sympathies,
common prayers,
all extend maximum
moral support;
after funeral,
everything forgotten;
policemen on duty
keep blowing whistle repeatedly
at crowded junctions,
even making signals by hand
trying to discipline drivers,
some traffic cops
stopping those
who don't use helmet
on the roads
and impose fines;
but away from the cities
fast cars, fast vehicles
keep over-speeding
another accident
another day,
repetition of pitiful looks
angry mob
slow traffic
at accident site
as another life is lost;
so what
that was yesterday
one more dies
today, tomorrow
who really cares?
one or two lives lost
everyday
a common happening
in Goa,
thank God you are alive
and drive on