Goodbye Autumn
(after Louis MacNeice)

Goodbye autumn
the nights are getting longer
the dregs in the coffee cup
hint at coming strangers 
will they come to Oberoi
or will they come to Taj?
Or to my paper-strewn flat
built years after the Raj? 
Will they come by motor boat
or will they come by air
and pass through Immigration
sans passports, without care?
Will they come with laurel leaves
or will they come with flowers
or AK 47s
and a bullet shower?  
Will we see some action
from the Home Minister
or will he be another
condolence messenger? 
The New Year is arriving
don't need coffee dregs to tell us
how will it roll the dice
will it buy or sell us?  
Will oil rise up the barrel
Will OPEC gain or lose
will we need the skateboard,
or cycle as we choose? 
Will carbon cloud the planet?
Will asthma crowd our chest?
Do we clean up the wretched smog
or merely beat our breasts? 
 
Will the new year bring me joy
Or will he bring me grief?
Will he come with ringing bells
Or sneak in like a thief? 
Goodbye autumn
the days are getting shorter
will I hit a sixer, or
be bowled out by a snorter?