Unsold

Unsold

Rain was on its last breath, night alive

People walked fast taking care

To avoid puddles mixing with garbage

Vegetable vendors had dumped outside

For strays animals to eat

Potbellied hawkers sold their food

From grubby carts, lined up the street

They didn’t shout nor advertise

Yet clients came in a steady stream

Who could afford, only cheaper meals

Across the road brightly lit pizzerias

And fast food joints

Had their own clientele, of delivery guys

Rich don’t venture out on dark streets

Especially on a rainy night

This and that Marts, wore a deserted look

Their salesman near entrances stood

Indifferently smoking cheap cigs

Bought from a hole across the street

Drunk men stumbled out

From dinghy shops selling cheap booze

As many others waited, to rush in

For their daily dose of pain relief

There were buyers and sellers

For almost everything

Yet a homeless bunch, of rags wearing kids

Couldn’t sell much of their balloons

Hunger written on their face

They also had

No dry place to sleep

©️ShashikantDudhgaonkar