Urchin Land

Between here and nowhere
Through the land of the coal rich terrain
The urchins ran in
Wherever it was, the train had stopped-
And there she came
A young leader
Hardly dressed
Transiting between
Child and woman
And her band
Three siblings, perhaps
And they sang their toneless song
Spread their hands
And danced to Bidi Jalaile!
And the gents
Baring their teeth
Grinned-
Her dress had holes
And torn patches showed
Anatomical details
And how the black dust
On her feet
And dirty hair
Called for lust
In the eyes of the traveling males
So I puffed away,
Dazed
The pennies given,
The eyes knew
What they wanted
The urchins stood ground
And the guard
And the engine blew
Whistles of jeer
All aboard
The sad girl stared
Darkness came
And the men continued their card game
One club
One heart
Three no trumps
And they all thought of the thighs-
And the hand pump
They left behind
On the platform!

Bidi Jalaile is a popular song in Hindi- rather lustfully done in celluloid and video!