Shunting between
South-North North-South
Air-conditioned dreams inhale
Cooled air from human excreta
Infested with virus a-plenty
Along the road-side
In the city of gold.

Oozing carbon monoxide
With safety belts fastened
At 40 km an hour by the side
Of the urchins dark-skinned
Unaware of impending slow dying
Gleefully playing
In the city of gold.

Between South and North
It is the dark tunnel
Of pipe-in music intoxicating
Noise of airliner competing
Along up-right, hi-tech architecture
Shuts itself off silted air
In the city of gold.

Homecoming birds go afar
In the search of shelter away
From rootless rickety trees
Thickened with dust carbonized
Happy chirping no more
No night shelter any more
In the city of gold.

Shunting between South North
As weary night descends
Pavements and railway platforms
Along the corridor of power
And poverty doze off slowly
For a few hours of dreams
In the city of gold.