Seville

by Imtiaz Dharker

In broad daylight, out
on the road, shameless,
flaunting their true colours
to the open air, following no code,

not nicely dressed in plastic
wrap in supermarket bins,
with proper marks and labels
to cover naked skin

not bought or sold or
paid for at beeping tills,
taken home in plastic bags,
accounted for in lists and bills,

these oranges here are flagrant,
open to the public stare,
on a tree in the generous heart
of Al Mutamid's city

fragrant,
owned by no one.