Train Singer Poem by Sathya Narayana

A hollow tin-can
one side fastened
with oxen skin
...dadamdadamdum...dadamdadamdum!
Like a rhyme scheme,
like a metered rhythm...
music, music, music...
dadamdadamdum dadamdadam!
From coach to coach walking in train
that dark-skinned middle-aged man
singing the song of life...
a folk number philosophy,
a Telugu cinema's romantic melody
on political charlatans
a clarion parody...
Dadamdadamdum...dadamdadamdum!
'You preen o man
I am gaining years of wisdom
what a mistaken impression
every minute eroding is life span
that is truth underlying...'

He is singing, smiling, laughing
in ecstasy to the heights
his tunes are lifting...whirling, bent on knees swinging and dancing..
dadamdadamdum...dadamdadamdum!
He stopped and smiled
at my knotted brows.
Taking my ten rupees
looking into my eyes
he sang again,
this time his own lyric
'I'm a happy man, I am a happy man! No vice I have
I love my wife and children
and this crude-drum
my friend; cousin and patron...'
and walked away playing...
Dadamdadamdum...dadamdadamdum...
His song now sounded like an anthem
of men who believe in themselves
no matter what they hold in their hands,
a pen, a scalpel, a sword
or even a hollow tin-can! .