Opium Poem by Daniel Trevelyn Joseph

In India, opium is the Hindi film music
And songs, and not religion, not at all:
Hindi film music is just on, day and night
At home, in public, and private functions.

The old songs with their orchestra
Are magic in the background:
If one were to listen to the words
In the lyrics, they are full of meaning.

In Tamil film songs, when I grew up
The words were revolutionary,
Thought-provoking, or romantic to the core,
Chiselling into my mind as rock-edicts.

The film songs that capture Indian mind
Weave by lilting melody of Bollywood,
The most powerful prison of soul and mind,
And refuses to let anything else enter there.

People get drugged with the same music
Day after day, night after night;
The songs are good, the music is good,
And many cannot pass time without them.