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.
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.