THE LORD OF TARTARY IN GOA by Freddy Agnelo Fernandes, Dubai

Looking at our politicians and their pathetic penchant for riches and glory, the poem I learnt in primary school called “Lord of Tartary” by Walter de la Mare, a great poet of his times, inspired me to this derivative; The original poem depicts the dream of a commoner of what he would do if he became a king, but in my derivative of that poem I have put forth Ali Baba’s arrogance as the Lord of Goa:

I am the Lord of Goa
Me and my cronies alone
My beds are full of notes and vault full of gold
My throne secure with migrant votes
On my Monti Dongor criminals flaunt
And in my forests tigers don’t count
And in my rivers bridges slant
Their pillars waltz in the sun

I am the Lord of Goa
Where scams herald the dawn of every new day
And corruption is a way of life in every which way
None of the scams bother me anyway
Even while more often than not our tubes and bulbs fail to shine
Water in our taps is rare, mostly as yellow as honey and red as wine
While mining and mega-housing sound like music divine
I am more than happy to turn a blind eye and unwind

I am the Lord of Goa
I wear my “dontir”, “bu-shirts” and suits with glee
As I project my simplicity to a great degree,
Gullible Goans easy to fool by a simple decree
And ere should peoples support wane by far
I will don the secular robes and carry swords of war
And yet again with secular slogans ride my car
Through Monti Dongor’s dark glades near and far

Lord of corruption in Goa
Her rivers silted, polluted and stale
Lord of the hills and forests of Goa
Valleys, thickets and hills laid bare and waste
Her flashing beauty and pure breeze amazingly stale
Her springs, lakes and wells no more flowing just laze
Her pristine beaches, turned dens of sleaze and rave
Even then I say, for Goan votes I don’t crave,
Because Monti Dongor will always save me from the grave