From Chennai to Mumbai it was three days in the Arabic sea.
In anticipation what next we would see.

The harbor is polluted, no swimming allowed,
In this crowd,

Of 23 million people that exist here
In a dirty polluted atmosphere

The sea water is as brown as the air
And not an appealing pair.

It is a real pity
To see this decaying city

Where they do not seem aware
Of the benefit of clean water and air,

And before too long
Without intervention the old will be gone

But new buildings are arising
For a price that is surprising

A small condo is sold
For 3 million American dollars we are told

Which only a very few of the people can pay
While the majority cannot improve their way

We stopped at the Taj Mahal hotel
Were only the super rich can stay you could tell

The city name changed to Mumbai from Bombay
But the locals still call it Bombay anyway

In the hanging gardens, the dead are laid down
And digested by vultures that fly over town

The monument Gateway to India is
Comparable to Arc de Triomphe in Paris.

More than one guard
We had to pass at the prince of Whales museum with its ancient art

The Dhobi Ghat or city laundry in open air
Is a sight not comparable anywhere.

The water is filthy and one wonders how they can
Get the laundry to look spic and span

The Gandhi home with his mission explained
Seems in contrast with what India over the years has gained

His teachings of cleanliness and purity
Still seem an obscurity

Children and crippled galore are hard to pass
Without giving them some cash

It seems a few have it all
And let the rest stumble and fall

Because the masses believe
That not until their next life they will get relieve

So they sit and wait
For in their next life to enter a better gate

And continue on this earth to suffer
Because they accept that here there is no buffer.

We left Mumbai thankful for being able to say
Thank God we live in the USA

And pray for the disadvantaged on earth
To have a life that has more worth .