Bombay Dreams

As he dreams of movie award nominations
his customers clamor for change
a stark realization hits him
he has run out of the smaller denominations
and that the same can be said of his emotional range

who knows? the next instagram story or tiktok
might be his claim to fame
just a small man in a big city
where survival is the name of the game

when he left his small town
for a city street that was smaller still
the ones who doubted him looked on with a frown
but all he looked forward to was the glory - what a thrill!

because it was only those who looked the status quo in the eye
and showed a middle finger to its face
those that felt the need to try
are granted entry to this highway of our rat race

his dreams manage to survive
on crude yet powerful inspirations
they propel his struggle to be known and to thrive,
constantly grasping for what he hopes will be a poetic salvation

as he smashes puris with his fingers
visualizing the box office records that are next
it's hot blood that pumps and motivation that lingers
giving him hope that those who doubted him will be left perplexed

at times he feels exhausted
due to the blood, sweat and tears
this feeling, like a microwave defrosts
long-oppressed and deep rooted fears

It screams at him to pack his bags
and get back on that train
to leave the city of a million lights and many more stars
to turn his dreams into mere sugar in the rain

but he promised his mother, and he promised his father
that he would make a star of himself
because living here in poverty would be better rather
than stocking the factory shelves

one day, these efforts in fixed deposit
will pay off if he bides his time
those seeing him on screen will not be able to pause it
enraptured by a performance so sublime

as the last customer leaves, he counts his earning
they will keep him alive for another day or two
but now it's time for him to let out the spirit, that is, from within, burning
because to himself and the world it's the validity of the struggle he wants to prove

the sun sets on another day
of this man's expression of existence's struggles
the innocent requests for more pani puri hardly see
the second life that this man juggles