Mumbai Taxi

Slum village seeps
like dumpster juice from airport
to empty cement high rise punctuated
by glass ATM chambers

Permanent flea market piles
of metal rickety tin roof two-by-four
architecture makes screenless windows
into flourescent light interiors labeled
lik gated communities.

Men slept shirtless on
stoops amidst rancid trash heaps
picked through by stray dogs
so peacefully!

Assaulted by delicious
vile stench of garbage, piss &
incense, the gewy handfuls they chew
spit all over the sidewalk under
palm trees, tropical breeze.

Then smell him on
unwashed shirt, the last real thing
I've seen! Brooklyn & Queens
so clear!

Wake up wide-eyed
white washed windowless room
with damp raggedy sheets where
lopng hall with blinking lights & drip
drip A/C begs the question

What are you doing here?