About Culture Poem by BASAB CHAUDHURI

Culture

We must preserve it—
by becoming beggars.

End to end,
beggars—
because we are committed
to preserving it.

Some silly rules,
some festivity,
year to year,
end to end—
no escape.

We are born
to do what others do.
We have been taught so.

We fight among ourselves
to preserve culture.

Yes, culture is more precious than blood—
my blood,
your blood.

That is how it is—
all of us,
my dear,
all of us,
ever ready to preserve culture,
whatever the cost,
however inhuman.

Attachment to culture
is more than life,
more than beauty,
more than flowers.

Culture is more pristine than blood.

Is it?