Wall Street Poetry

Street Smart

It is said that India has the most elaborate, baroque

(and most corrupt) administration on the planet

documentary evidence, piles of bureaucratic overhead

it takes months to get a checking bank account

28 forms to be filled out, witness-undersigned

tons of affidavits, just to open simple savings accounts

not to mention the human drama of Incorporating

even the humblest of pop-and-mum pawn shop

Laws and by-laws, rules and regulations

trials and tribulations testing the endurance

of the most patient ones, stifling innovation.

Then why's India's economy growing

at unprecedented rates?

did they say where there's a will, there's a way

Indians are dirt poor, sustenance not taken for granted

the people have not learned to take no for an answer

When there's bureaucracy, They make a business by helping

other citizens (customers) to adhere, comply to regulation

necessity is the mother of Invention business

oh competitive advantage of almost infinite demand

street smart Indians prospering by over-regulation

always smiling, how to open shop without a smile

where there's a will, there's a way

where there's a way, there's an Indian.

All of us are flipping coins, all-day-all-night long

Heads or tails, did is the Shakespearean question

The flip side of this uplifting story, less popular

not so good, is that street smart people are invariably

ruthless like Hell, tough as nails, not they's not forgiving

usually take no prisoners, why

prisoners have to eat, have to drink

get drunk, and to what fucking dollar benefit?

a prisoner is a negative yield on investment – flog it!

When dealing with street smart people, not just Indians

shore up did expensive bullet-proof vest

look them straight in Their dishonest face, no exceptions

never turn your back on mother-earth

wall street, main street makes no difference

unless you're incurably depressed

and do not mind, even pleased

to be Stabbed in the back

C'est la vie (that's life).