A cinema star, before attending a function,

Presenting himself or herself on the stage.

For a show of any kind or range,

Goes to a beauty parlour to gain a look attractive

Or for a facial the beautician is called to his/her hive;

Through the body’s gate he or she reaches the public.

But the politician before attending a meeting,

Demagogues before washing their victims’ brains,

Move on the reverse gear to gain.

A look bizarre, unkempt, unmindful of themselves

But they are extremely alert;

Changing like a chameleon according to criterion.

Suddenly they become conscious about the suffering,

Of the poor and live intimately a night in their hut

Wearing their dress, talking heart to heart.

Gloating to grab power raising their fingers high,

Cursing their rivals for all misfortunes.

Politicians hug the needy for a while living nearby,

While greed for power and lurid desire.

Ooze out of their benign beings,

As they impose their language over the weaklings.

They become desperate close to voting date,

The date of their judgment.

To grab all the booty in the shape of vote,

Including those close to their rivals’ nets.

By sending e-mails and sms’s, calling over the phone

Sending messengers through chieftains often.

And gang leaders for herding voters to the polling booth.

Whispering in their ears that the leader’s name,

And symbol on earth is the only truth.

To be push-buttoned without looking at,

Any other figure or fact,

Not even a NOTA.

Media and the Election Commission are essentially active;

The latter playing its part nearly superb.

A few days and the winners would be kings and queens,

They would form a government or remain at its fringe,

With chance to readjust positions at any moment.

All the needy, greedy, brokers, workers and commoners,

Would come under compulsion to their leaders.

And their main supporters.

To strike a deal in their favour;

All others, willy-nilly, would come under their cover.

The kings and the queens would decide their fate,

But they are in fact naked.

                                                                 ~Aju Mukhopadhyay

                                                                        Pondicherry, India