Early morning,
Suburban
Mumbai,
A frail boy,
Half-pants,
T-shirt,
Tiny hands,
Raised up,
Forming circles,
In the cold wind,
Outside,
His cheerless hovel,
Happy feet pattering
On the bare tar road;
Contentment,
Spontaneity,
Smile,
Missing
In nearby
Affluent homes,
Going up
And up in
The polluted sky;
The dark boy,
Untutored, and
Bereft of
Everything,
Dancing with
The gentle wind,
The road---a stage,
Passing cars--- fleeting audience,
Self-absorbed,
Spirit soaring,
Despite tatters,
A true example of
Rich exuberance and pure
Joy.
