Society

The following poem is written by Shivan Kaul.

The silver metal
Of the Metro train
Is stained with excessive humanity
Suffocating and overcrowded.
Sweating and jostling and pushing
And shoving and heaving and swearing.

A seat is to kill for.
Or at least, to knock-over-someone for.

And as I stand and try to bear it all
I notice a squatting peasant
Devoid of etiquette
And common sensibility.
(I mean
Who squats in the Metro?)

And I wage a bitter internal tirade
Against people who don't deserve to live
On account of lacking societal delicacy.

I, on the other hand;
Just because I'm tired
Doesn't mean I'll sit on the floor
And lower my self-importance.
I've resolved to stand for what
Society thinks is proper.

I throw a look
Of opinionated disgust
At the peasant,
And he smiles back at me.

...

He has no mongrel half-beliefs
To get in the way
Of what will give him
Happiness.