Monday, December 30, 2013

Don't Mess With My Bangalore!

Don’t Mess With My Bangalore!

Where are the trees?
All cut up and logged!
Made way for roads that’re always packed;
"Roads add value, trees subtract"!

Where are the roads?
All choked up and clogged!
Spare our roads, use Namma Metro;      
That’s the mantra, roads are retro.

Where are the pavements?
All dug up and stocked!
What are you doing here, pedestrian?
Go away, you're an alien.

Where are the playgrounds?
All filled up and sold!
Kids, you have your gadgets, gizmos and all,
Play indoors, or not at all!

Where is my city?
All built up and blocked!
Bean-town, boom town, concrete and dust;
Live here, only if you must.

Pause, muse, ponder, think,
Serve, conserve, reserve, preserve;
Bring back my green town, old familiar,
Buried beneath this urban veneer.


© Shiva Kumar 2013

Tuesday, December 17, 2013