Poor India’s Poor Picture

A hamlet under the trees, The peepul and banyan trees, Without the post-office And the shops, Sleeping by nightfall, Getting darker and solitary, Without the lights, Just the wicked earthen lamp burning With the oil burning somewhere With insufficient light And that too not everywhere. The village boys and girls half-fed and half-clothed Telling of a poor India, Clumsy and poorly dressed, The hair of the girl without oil and lousy And the boy if with the shorts But shirtless And if with the shirt But buttonless, Taking stale food and that too If possible, Maybe it rice gruel with a little bit Of boiled rice, Taking midday meal very late During the daytime.