Beggarman / Thief
Ten years ago my sister moved to Australia
Carrying two identical handbags
One filled with jewellery: Topaz, amethyst, pearl
The other with my poems to her
A confused thief carried both away
Pawning the jewels / Junking the scrap paper
In Old Delhi the British burnt both libraries
housing Ghalib's poetry
With great difficulty he transcribed them again
One from the mouth of a beggar
Who recited his poem to Ghalib for alms
I do not think in modern Sydney we can find
a beggar worthy of Old Delhi.