The System We Caste
A class conscious caste iron brew
of lotus black coffee grounds severed
along malodorous vocations of black:
untouchable black . . .
coarsely ground strong roasted black
without the sugar
tolerable black . . .
sprinkled just a bit of sweetener
koshered black . . .
powdered an artificial sweetener
to taste just a bit sweeter than really it is
sifted, finely filtered percolated black, Lotus black . . .
room made its class conscious cup
for home made shades of one percent,
two percent less black, made less black
poured condensed whole white pasteurized,
moisturizing skin white
milked and curdled
with just a bit of black seen in it . . .
for it . . .
to think it’s India’s
medium roast superior brown coffee grounds
brewed a Lotus caste iron coffee pot
of malodorous vocations served
the lower caste cracked cups
of untouchable black
Its our story. You wrote so true words that I am really running short of words to express my feelings for it. When you recite it in Sisir Mancha, Kolkata on 8th Aug 2016 I was mesmerized with your poem. Your poem touches the deepest core of the heart. Waiting for your any such gem…