Melancholy

I wake up to the grotesque, the putrid imagery beginning to invade my city,My beloved sparrows, chirping, lost in the smoky embers of a noisy throttle -

Heat, searing through my roof, killing frames of what I created pretty,

My head held high no longer, sickend that my babies need an A.C. and not a rattle!People, mine, bitter and wrathful, unable to get by the day's nitty gritty.

You capitalists, encroaching my lakes, a thousand sick schemes, a plaguing broth and a party for your petty battle!

Take your million cars, and keep them, take your billion bikes, and see if you get home safe,

You immigrants, this to you, who step on my peoples' kindness, unaware of my legacy, polluting and populating like rodents,

I am of the soil, yet alien, numb sickened eyes, a homage to the desecration I witness, vivid, as I let my spirit roam,

Until ... I hear an innocent young voice ... "Daddy, can I go out and play" as I slowly unbecome my indifference. 

I melt. Twice. 

I shudder to think what becomes of her spirit, if she's to be denied, just to be made to get inside the claustrophobia they call home. Keep her away, I yell. No one hears me. I begin to rant. Loud. I'm still unheard. Keep her away! She is one of mine. One that still wants to go out and play. Keep her away from the culling of all things pretty she knows exist. Keep her away from growing up. I am beginning to get selfish and desperate! I'd hate to see the innocence of that smile giving way to deceptive grins. Keep her away, from the rapists. Keep her away from the lewd. Keep he away from people who consider dowry. Keep her away from people, who only want. Keep her away from the computers, and shroud not her innocence by turning on your little idiot box. Didn't you hear? She wants to go out and play! Take the pepsi away from her, its no good. Go find her a swing! Don't take her to the mall, you imbecile, can't you see what concrete structures did to your free spirit? Back when you were still one of mine? Keep her away from rleatives that are quick to criticism, and opinions. Tell her about Lalbagh, take her there. Tell her about C.T.R, and feed her my legend. That way she will always know that I'm with her. Bring her up bold, so she is not initmidated by the opposite sex. Tell her about your glory days, but keep her the hell away from your tech park and your work. Keep her away from your present, for there is little apart from monotony there and invade not her future. Tell her about love, but don't ever tell her that she may/may not find it. Relive. Keep her close. When you croon to her during bed time that everything's going to be all right, honour it. But for now, she's daddy's little girl, so let her go out and play!

You never did question the culling of me, yet I see hope in the young, the little and the restless. Teach the young boys about chivalry, respect and decency. Teach them about equality. Make them question everything they see. You took it lying down, why should they? Let them play.

Because my city, still has the sun, the sand and the spirit. 

And I shall be watching.   

But for now, let them play.