He got on the boat to make the crossing
An old ferry it was
2 levels
1 layer of paint
An engine that kept running
And a captain who was happy
The river was called the Ganges
Indian water
Indian way of life in the delta
200 metres of water to cross
To go trading
Or looking
Or both
He was a successful man in his eyes
He didnt care to much
About the untouchables
He just made money out of them
To carry on with his lifestyle
Of gold, saffron, sick and women
He still payed the same fare
As the labourer
Who lived in a shack
On a 2 lamp Calcutta road
He had 5 kids, a wife, a mum
And uncle to support
He wore a sarong and jandles
The rich man was done up in
Bundles of gold, a watch
Leather shoes, a stack of money
Sunglasses and two gold teeth
He liked gold you see
So half way across the great river
On the boat
Cramped with many people
A problem came about
For some reason the boat was sinking
Dont ask why
These things happen
Now everyone was equal
Money aint gonna buy floatation
In the middle
Of the mighty Ganges
Surrounded by frenzied Indians
Slowly but surely
The boat lowered itself into
The boatgrave come river bed
The rich man with everything
Was lost
The poor man remained himself
Even helped an old lady
Who had cooked many meals
In other time for the
deserving labourers
She had yellow fingers
Tumeric I guess
When the boat finally disappeared
Beneath the rivers surface
And the bubbles bounced up
From the airlocks
Of the old captains boat
There was a flurry of frantic
Swimming
And deep breaths taking place
The poor man swam with his
Wife, kids and loves of his life
In their happy shack on a 2
Lap street in his mind
The rich man was not to be seen
He went straight to the bottom
You see
Gold dont float!