Dismembering Gandhi

The second of October
The birthday of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi
so widely known for his philosphy of non-violence

and the morning news
bombings in Bali
Students shot and curfew imposed in the Indian State of Meghalaya
and dozens of Income tax officers arrested for corruption

today thousands of India politicians
will pay lip-service
to 'the father of the nation'

amidst poverty accelerated
by human made disasters
political opportunism
and naked greed
Independence, Gandhi said, would only dawn
when the tears of the poorest of India's poor
could be wiped away

Howvere there are no tears left
the eyes of the poor have dried up
their mouths are too parched to speak