The bazaars of Abidjan

 The bazaars of Abidjan

Across the brazen seas wide

Lies the dainty town of Abidjan

Behold, sailors from every tide 

Careful to leave without much tan

At the Eastern corner of the town

Dances a quaint little clown

Bewitching the bazaar crowd

And the hardy sailors proud

Kettle fish and Chinese crackers stacked

English chips and Indian tea racked

But behind the stalls are folk

The holds of the globe they yoke

Thin and tall, tanned and not

The strongest adversary of all – they fought

The hatred of men was naught

The spirit of oneness they caught

Where each still waited for the other

And kittens could nurse from another mother

The leaving sailors still wonder

Sailing away to the sun yonder

Addendum

Abidjan – a port city in the Ivory Coast

Bazaar - marketplace

Notes

This piece is a result of my exploration of world civilization. In my view, its unhelpful to look at history as a clash of cultures. Rather, the world is a bazaar where the folk of various origins meet and share their experiences. This all-encompassing sense of oneness, is referred to as the Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam in Indic literature. This lens allows us to celebrate diversity, and also support each other in our endeavours.