Ha! Democracy
Nah! Democracy
For better or for worse
Sheer ecstasy

The first world preaches
And the third world listens
Freedom and equality
Together they glisten

What they forget to teach
Are the smart lobby groups
Hiding behind the curtain
Along with their troops

When the third world adopts
They are taken aback
By the sheer inconsistency
Of democracy at heart

And by the time they realise
The goons have stepped in
To wield their power
With democratic sheen

The common man aghast
At the sheer enormity
Of how ideals lie twisted
And mauled in totality

How routinely identical
The common man’s plight
Shrouded in uncertainty
With only hope in sight

Ha! Democracy
Nah! Democracy
The common ideal
Uncommon notoriety

Subir Chakraborty / 14th Feb 2018