A POEM BY
K.STALIN KANNAN
Translated into English by Latha Ramakrishnan(*First Draft)
THE CITY THAT SLEEPS NOT
: 
The city moving towards sleep
sends out first the child labourers
with their ‘bata’ money for the day
Next
the aged security-men
taking turns and keeping vigil
at the restaurant-entrances
Then the small vendors
selling the remaining vegetables
at whatever rate possible
Finally after sending those bosses
pulling down the shutters forcefully,
lighting the camphor
and heading towards their abodes
with the cash-bags
Keeping those who have missed the last bus
and those to board the first bus
waiting
Keeping company to the poor father
who has left the ailing child inside
along with its mother
and chasing away with his hands
the mosquitoes biting
at the hospital gate _
The city that sleeps not
stays wide awake.
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