She had in her hut only one blanket
donated by a NGO last year.
She wrapped her two children with it
to keep them warm
in the bone-chilling wintry night.
For her she had bare cotton cloth
to ward off the cold freezing
around her frail body.
A mismatch: she was found dead
in the wee hours of the morning.
Late in the day the civic body met
in the city municipal hall;
agenda: shelter for the homeless
living on the streets!
Proceedings had hardly begun,
pandemonium broke loose;
pretext: the National Anthem.
Chaos, slogans, counter slogans
drowned care for her homeless children
in the display of love for Mother India.
A.K. Das