What Change! Poem by Narayanan Nair. P Perunthanam

Such was my country twenty-one Summers ago
In a starry night I, with my wife Prema young
Walked along the road of midnight Mysore slow
As snow veil clad chilling breeze rippled along.
No rapist, drunkard, rowdy, as hyenas did draw
No clique with camera to strip or rape did throng
An auto -driver so friendly took us to a lodge; so
Gladly with son Sudev we enjoyed Dassara song.

Now, in every city, I fancy, Sahasralinga's attacks
From Bars with bars such barbarians may pounce
As executive dread such law-breakers to punish.
Political aspirants languid sit in and pronounce
In Parliament to protect the culprits from barracks
Deceiving democrats and putting them in anguish.

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Note: Prema: name of wife; Sudev: name of baby(son) . Sahasralinga: nickname of Indra /Devendra.(King of Devas who live in luxury. Parliament: the legislative building. Mysore: the city in Karnataka, India former capital of Mysore kings. Dassara: a state festival in Karnataka,