what a pity! (2 sides to every story)

these poor little rich kids,
just “hanging” at the street corner.
flaunting their fancy watches and designer clothes.
they burn away their souls and waste their talents
and choose to live on their parents’ gifts.

these poor little misguided kids,
tagging along with their more fortunate “friends”
drooling over what they cannot afford
little do they know
they’d be better off on their own.

these poor little rich people,
earning their millions through "grand manoeuvres".
providing for a comfortable future,
only to find that the next generation
wipes it all away and has to start all over again.

these poor little "underprivileged" people,
scrambling to survive through their sweat and tears;
wishing for what their wealthy neighbours have,
they bend their backs and suppress their sorrows.
when they sleep at night, all they think about is tomorrow.

these poor little “third world” countries,
scurrying to please their prosperous counterparts;
vying for their attention and blessing.
if only they knew
they would do so much better if they didn’t care.

these poor little rich countries
rambling on about their "glorious past"
the state supports them all:
the unfortunate and needy to the lazy bourgeois
united, they avalanche their way to a shared gloom.

what a pity: if you think no one cares for their neighbour,
why does everyone care what everyone else thinks of them?
what a pity: if the only way up is round and around
why is everyone so busy “succeeding”?
what a pity: if the world is so full of gloom and worry
why does everyone smile at children playing in the park?

- satyajit venkatraman
15th october 2010

(derived from the realization that when i think commuters on the metro are grumpy and unsmiling, i forget that i am one of them too and someone is thinking the same about me!)