India

1. Harbor of Thieves



We cried till the words lost all meaning

India, India, India

pressing through the city

India

our throats sore

India

like a promise

India

King and Queen and

everyone we knew and

India

the captain spoke,

India

gave us back our word (there

were other words

we couldn’t hear)


The beggars in a festive mood, joking,

dancing, jesters, and pickpockets earning

a years’ worth and blowing it all in one night

kids everywhere, crying from shoulders,

India, or

in a hurry waving, and flags everywhere:

gold, green and white and

India

and the three ships cargoed,

fat afloat and ready.

India

once more, again

India, always, India

had flocked us


We, indeed the finest scum,

hired on the spot in all dark ends

sang


India

which means gold,

India

which means pearls

India,

which means spices



And we sailors

which means sinners

in need of

an adventure.