Exuberance

Early morning,

Suburban

Mumbai,

A frail boy,

Half-pants,

T-shirt,

Tiny hands,

 Raised up,

Forming circles,

In the cold wind,

Outside,

His cheerless hovel,

Happy feet pattering

On the bare tar road;

Contentment,

Spontaneity,

Smile,

Missing

In nearby

Affluent homes,

Going up

And up in

The polluted sky;

The dark boy,

Untutored, and

Bereft of

Everything,

Dancing with

The gentle wind,

The road---a stage,

Passing cars--- fleeting audience,

Self-absorbed,

Spirit soaring,

Despite tatters,

A true example of

 Rich exuberance and pure

Joy.