bato balani

do you hear the roaring beats

drumming the street?

see the red and yellow wave no defeat?

feel the sweltering heat

making you thirst a gluttonous treat?

or whiff the dry air in silvery sheet

slaking your spree a pomp complete?

Say the nine evenings you walk in light

and bear the sprain of the cavalcade blithe?

Say you stand a hundred crowd

and swivel your head round up the ninth cloud?

Say you sing the bato balani in rhyme

and surrender your arms above in mime?

Shall you dance ablazed in steps of fires?

And hail you up to the multitude of desires?

Shall you spring a maneauvre of your faith?

Only to find a mockery slate?

Shall you impair the roll of the drums?

to listen to the dampen hums?

mardi gras mardi gras

cast not the midday scare

that consumes the burning flare

Hear not from the scores of the air

But to the muteness of the mind

Light a candle in serenity, unwind-

and shall you stumble and feel

The Child's wonderful heal.