The Sale

I stand in line
at the ticket window
and as my turn arrives
I'm greeted with a smile

"Hi" I say
to the ticket vendor
and check out the list on display

"Is DEATH a stage one jumps off?
Is HAPPINESS a loud applause?
Is LONELINESS an audience refusing to stay?
And is SADNESS a temporary blackout caused
by defunct showlights at the play?"

"I really wouldn't know, Sir"
says he
"I only sell the tickets here.
Though i hear,
Some are happy when the lights go out
Some would kill themselves for applause
Others would jump off just to be alone, Sir
and some would be sad without cause"

"Oh" I say

and turn back to where you stand,
in your red dress, chewing gum,
pop-corn in hand
"What do you want to watch, honey?"
And you reply "We don't have the money
for Happiness, luv.
What's more, the show's at three.
You have a meeting then, remember?"
and i say "Yeah, there goes the matinee"

The man at the window lowers his voice
"You can try SIN, Sir
It is cheap, and fast
and quite a rage these days.
They always clap at the start
and the lights never descend
and though it leaves some broken hearts
and some jump off at the end,
it's not a bad deal, see,"
he winks, "I can even offer you
a buy-one-get-one-free"

"Aha" my interest rises
and i see you're smiling too
"Can't argue with that price" you say
and i say "Sure. Gimme Sin, for two"

Jaagte Raho!

He wakes with a start
and makes half a salute
and takes in the scene
did anybody notice he'd been
gone again
taking the first flight out
out like a light

He wipes clean his mouth
these breaks now becoming regular bouts
He rubs his eyes, and scratches his belly,
kicks off his shoes to make way for smelly
toes and soles that can make a blind man blink
solely based on their obnoxious stink

An owl hoots in the distance
the moon is high up in the sky
the watchman argues for the n'th time that night
the world is sleeping
why shouldn't I
and having won that round
he proceeds to act on his logic;
the air fills with his sleeping sounds

a silent figure standing poised to strike
lowers his weapon to the ground

-Amit