New Delhi, 1985

The needle probes for the artery; Enemies of poetry gather in your city. Your town is cursed with power; Roses flow in this stream of blood; The waters of your Yamuna stand exposed. India Gate: Over there, the Rashtrapati Bhavan. How ruthlessly has this city been combed and groomed! White elephants sway at the gate of the past. Goldsmiths mould replicas of peacocks. Your well-carpentered glory. Long Kashmiri carpets are rolled out in your streets. Armed regiments on alert; The showy itch of culture; Wooing guests, dancing before them; Parading cavalry; Anti-aircraft guns; Nuclear missiles to frighten off enemies; The President accepting a salute from those hanging between the sky and the earth; The Prime Minister shaking hands With the glorified blemished. Bravo! What a spectacular festival.