THE FOLLOWING POEM WAS SELECTED IN WINGWORD POETRY PRIZE 2023 LONGLIST.

I was in my car

I saw a man

With dirty clothes and an empty stomach

With bare feet and messy hair

With a long beard and an unclear face

He was sitting on the ground

and playing with sand

And asking pedestrians for food

People were looking at him

with disgusted eyes

And remarking, "Dirty lunatic man!"

"Maniac"

Then I noticed a blind person with a stick

He was begging for help

All of a sudden!

That lunatic man with dirty clothes, messy hair, and bare

feet

Came close to the blind person

Held his hand

Helped him to cross the road

That madman helped him!

Whom the civilized society called "crazy"

Whom the civilized society remarked " dirty"

Whom the civilized society thinks of as "untouchable"

Whom the civilized society "hates"

Whom the civilized society knows as "uncivilized".