THE NEW TERRORIST

The tectonic rage struck on prostitute resorts
and rose and outstretched greedily
to engulf a hundred thousand lilliputs
and steal news space from bearded tourists
who made smuggled taped-threats
for broadcast-hungry T.V. viewers to gobble.

NASA and INSATs sat and gaped
at the sudden devour that exposed their infertility.
Faithful fishermen were fished instead
and air-conditioned officials surveyed aerially
and dropped ‘relief’ on the shaken millions.

Photos were clicked and ‘stories’ prepared
of fat-pocketed scoundrels announcing tax-exempted donations,
money that slipped into unknown pockets, missing the deserving.
Mercedes Benzes came and went and with them
the flashbulbers, cops and sanity;
left behind was only chaotic numbness.

The Tsunami is only the new TV drama we eat
for breakfast and dinner,
but it has brought out the best and worst in us.

Deepesh