This poem, written Late Basil Joseph, Head Master of St Francis' College, Lucknow for many years was published in the Northern India Patrika, Lucknow in the 1980's.
SAB CHALTA HAI!
Do what you like, just pay the cut;
You will get off with murder -- but
Without it, Life's not worth a nut,
Sab chalta hai!
You dare not take the drug you need;
The thing is spurious -- so take heed;
Unless you wish to run to seed.
Sab chalta hai!
Be careful when you take your booze;
Unless you wish to blow your fuse;
It may induce perpetual snooze,
Sab chalta hai!
Or is your petrol mixed with water?
Or is it dung or pepper powder?
Or is your khoya blotting paper?
Sab chalta hai!
And so they'll yell, "Angrezi Hatao";
In English schools "bharti karvao"
Or else the principal gherao,
Sab chalta hai!
Of Piety is this a test?
At dead of night (O what a pest!),
Loudspeakers pierce each human nest;
While bhajans mar e'en God's good rest!
Sab chalta hai!
Encroachments! Lord, is there a cure?
You dodge the cow, so end your tenure,
And land in man-hole or manure!
Sab chalta hai!
Jai Bharat! We've been free for years,
The Harijans still live like curs,
Their women raped -- but all one hears,
Sab chalta hai!
The wives are hounded for dowry,
Husbands demand it to the cowrie,
What if you find the flames so fiery!
Sab chalta hai!
In daylight hoodlums crimes commit;
The Law couldn't care a fig for it,
The politician's hand's in it,
Sab chalta hai!
You have the dacoits all at bay;
In false encounters get 'badle'
O women! Women! Keep away,
Sab chalte hai!
Your honour gone, they'll gouge your eyes;
You'd better say you fond goodbyes,
The Supreme Court's shocked -- but all one cries,
"Sab chalta hai!"
'Tween cop, the culprit, 'khaddar' cap,
The citizen finds no solid gap;
They all flow from the same old tap
Sab chalta hai!
So what's the use, yaar, of being holy,
When all the world's so topsy-turvy;
So make your whack, or 'tis your folly,
Sab chalta hai!
Everybody's doing it, yaar,
From gov'nor to the last 'gadaar',
To prove the law is not a bar,
Sab chalta hai!
SAB CHALTA HAI!
Do what you like, just pay the cut;
You will get off with murder -- but
Without it, Life's not worth a nut,
Sab chalta hai!
You dare not take the drug you need;
The thing is spurious -- so take heed;
Unless you wish to run to seed.
Sab chalta hai!
Be careful when you take your booze;
Unless you wish to blow your fuse;
It may induce perpetual snooze,
Sab chalta hai!
Or is your petrol mixed with water?
Or is it dung or pepper powder?
Or is your khoya blotting paper?
Sab chalta hai!
And so they'll yell, "Angrezi Hatao";
In English schools "bharti karvao"
Or else the principal gherao,
Sab chalta hai!
Of Piety is this a test?
At dead of night (O what a pest!),
Loudspeakers pierce each human nest;
While bhajans mar e'en God's good rest!
Sab chalta hai!
Encroachments! Lord, is there a cure?
You dodge the cow, so end your tenure,
And land in man-hole or manure!
Sab chalta hai!
Jai Bharat! We've been free for years,
The Harijans still live like curs,
Their women raped -- but all one hears,
Sab chalta hai!
The wives are hounded for dowry,
Husbands demand it to the cowrie,
What if you find the flames so fiery!
Sab chalta hai!
In daylight hoodlums crimes commit;
The Law couldn't care a fig for it,
The politician's hand's in it,
Sab chalta hai!
You have the dacoits all at bay;
In false encounters get 'badle'
O women! Women! Keep away,
Sab chalte hai!
Your honour gone, they'll gouge your eyes;
You'd better say you fond goodbyes,
The Supreme Court's shocked -- but all one cries,
"Sab chalta hai!"
'Tween cop, the culprit, 'khaddar' cap,
The citizen finds no solid gap;
They all flow from the same old tap
Sab chalta hai!
So what's the use, yaar, of being holy,
When all the world's so topsy-turvy;
So make your whack, or 'tis your folly,
Sab chalta hai!
Everybody's doing it, yaar,
From gov'nor to the last 'gadaar',
To prove the law is not a bar,
Sab chalta hai!
2 comments:
George, Mr Joseph had also written other poems for the Pioneer. I had the clippings but unfortunately misplaced them. I think one was 'Dum maro dum'.
Thanks Unknown, it would have been great if you put your name here. I had the newspaper cutting of the poem and felt it should be put where it will be seen. George
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