The Human Guinea Pigs

Do you know what it is to be poor? I was paid 1 anna For every mosquito that bit me One hot Bengali summer During the time of the Raj The white man’s power and money outweighed fear And for a while my plate was piled with food Do you know what it is to be poor? It seems that I gave my consent By thumbprint, (I cannot write) To trials of something or other (The doctor talked so fast And seemed so kind Telling me that my baby son was special) Now he is dust and tears On the Delhi pavement where I lay my head Do you know what it is to be poor? My family are Dalits, Indian Untouchables 5 rupee voucher, that’s the stretch of our medicine The hospital head man said that my wife was lucky Chosen by a charity, for treatment Costs ran to hundreds, even a Bollywood star Could not afford such very expensive treatment I should have smelled a rat There was no autopsy, no answers In the Western war of drugs against disease We are collateral damage. Do you know what it is to be poor?