CRIMSON TO BLACK

With the sun undressing
the thick black gown
of the night and throwing
it away
and draping the day
in the transparent costume
the nameless, faceless old beggar
wakes up, wraps up the
torn ugly clothes
around his body
slowly steps down
the platform,
slowly moves out of
the railway station
ignoring the deafening
sounds of the local trains
through the surging crowd
in a pathetic state
to his permanent camp
where fellow beggars
are lined up on
both sides of the
way to the famous church.
Christ’s worshippers rushing
ahead to the church
most of them in glittering
white
seeking Christ’ profuse
blessings
and
at times throwing coins
at the beggars sitting
seeking alms with beseeching
eyes
kind of self-imposed
obligation.
The transparent costume
with which the sun
had draped the
day in the morning
evolves into red hot costume
as the day progresses
his hot embraces like
catching fire
faceless beggars get
absolutely exhausted
but continue to be rooted
in their places expecting the
once in a while thrown
coins at them.
Unbearable heat forces
many to lie over the
roasted earth in the meanwhile
stretching hands beseechingly
listing out their plights and
predicaments,
and as the day gets
draped by the crimson dress
each moves to their
permanent abodes
the railway platform.
As our nameless old beggar
lame-duck he is
slowly, slowly crosses the path
a speeding vehicle
sans pressing brake
hits and runs over him
and speeds away.
He lay crushed on one
side of the road
in a pool of blood
unclaimed,
unattended by
anyone
even by the fellow beggars
the city as usual
forges ahead
like a hungry beast
searching victims
and
crimson dress turns into
black blanket….
with the unnamed, unknown
beggar lying still…..