Thoughts at dusk

A pandemonium of vehicle sounds
A gust of dust
An “azaan” that pulls the strings of the heart
A plate of hot kababs
Policemen with hanging bellies
Goats readied to be sacrificed
Onions and “pudina”
A dash of “Sprite” and a pair of “paav”

Moslem men with Moslem beards
Other men with other beards
Women in “burkas” women in skirts
Beauty parlors for gents and ladies
Ogling rickshaw drivers
Lampposts and prostitutes
Non discriminating wine shops
And an “azaan” that pulls the strings of the heart

We live in times when we
Human beings have all the answers
I suddenly realize I have none
And feel relieved
I have no questions too
Since I learned to have faith
In me and
In God

It’s the strength of ignorance that corrupts
Making us live in an illusory world of sanity
Reality is madness
And the power of love
Like the “azaan” that pulls the strings of the heart
And the crescent moon on the night sky
I kneel at the junction humbled
And build a mosque