Poetry

Muhallah Brawl

You vilified me, plotted to
Crush my son’s wedding
were striving to thwart my family
Rented your plot last year for a day
Charged a fortune from me and
call me your Buddy
Always picked your own path
in the Whole square
discounting what we Desired,
what we Devised.
                                                                       
No! Never! I considered your Rajan
as my own Child, have never
Intruded into your family ties
Demanded less from you than
my customers are obliged
Envious of you? Why would I!
Whoever spewed this out, it was a lie
And can’t we cognise where you and
your gathering are headed
Treachery, infringement, extortion, crimes
Please leave us on our own as
we are complacent with our lives.
                                           
I won’t let you bypass so effortlessly
Today you are going to pay the price
Your bones will crack, heart tremble
Unable to lift your limbs, your mind
will sink into Submission
Show up my sons Sajan and Rajan!
I grazed you on milk, saffron, and malice
Who dare to lock horns with you
In a Combat fight, smash everyone
Who meets your sight
Hit him like one who is
Possessed, break the house doors
Throw them stones in there
Strike these women, push them
Don’t let them escape
Hurl the lathis, bricks, knives,
spade, rakes, whatever you find
Holler! Shout! Yell at the maximal of your voice!
Let the subjects witness the might.
                                           
Next day customarily
Dark clouds engulfed the sky
Thundered and the rain
Viscerally thumped the streets
The playing kids chatted among themselves
“O! I saw the men of that muhalla”
“How insanely and speedily they battled!”
“Their weapons were razor-sharp”
“But Rajesh bhai and few others didn’t have weapons”
“Weren’t you afraid watching them? I was”
“When we grow up, we will be more sturdy, more agile”
“Will we too, um, clash like them?”
“Nah…but since…we might have to”
                                           
~Diwakar Attri
Faridabad, India

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