The City At Six

By Ashwath Ramesh

In the rising sun’s white glow,

As the city wakes, lazy n’ slow,

As drowsy citizens to work go,

The rush of traffic begins, so…

Cars fill roads, in the cool heat,

Cars at crossings, in every street,

Cars in rows, in confused tangles,

Cars at signals, at various angles…

The sky above grows grey,

As smoke on air does prey;

The ground is a mass of colours,

A tide of cars, shaded blurs…

Engines thrum, horns honk and blare,

And walkers stop to stand and stare;

Squabbles start, drivers scream,

Curse and shout in a steely stream…

Alone, a cop goes to sort it all,

In the din, who responds to his call?

Such it is every morn I see,

For who should be stuck in the midst,

But poor me?

By Ashwath Ramesh