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No Child Should Ever Smile Like This

nibble, nibble, gnaw, then blowing, soothe
the giant sewer rat gnawing surgically removes
callouses on a street urchin’s foot, it grooves
while a boy sleeps sweating a nightmare of pains
his ghastly visions causing him muted screams
about his mother’s AIDS death, always dreams
patiently, the thirsty rat nibbles until he drinks
but then, a sudden pinch, the groggy child thinks
into the shadows, the phantom rodent slinks
cold, fear, hunger, and pain are making
this five-year-old’s whole body convulse, shaking
hiding under a filthy trash heap, his foot bleeds
mingling blood with whatever the maggot feeds
everything eats this kid, but he cannot
by parents and politicians, just left to rot
these are those that the whole world forgot
consigned to dark alleys and dumps, uncounted
for extermination, they are secretly hunted
greasy rags are tied around his bloody foot, swollen
he gingerly limps from his hiding place, almost frozen
from a street vendor, a silver coin, by him, is stolen
he buys a little glue with the pilfered shilling
brain cells are dying, as fumes, he’s inhaling,
a child forgets about his breakfast, smiling

 

 

 

© Brian Hodgkinson Jr. (aka) –Limericist 2006/2021

Street children

◄ Pearl of Africa

Juneau’s camp of the misguided ►

Comments

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Brian Hodgkinson

Thu 25th Mar 2021 01:13

Stephen, thank you. ?

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Stephen Atkinson

Wed 24th Mar 2021 18:17

A powerful & vividly presented poem ?

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keith jeffries

Wed 24th Mar 2021 17:11

Action needs to be the result of words. If not we serve no purpose in alleviating the plight of the hungry and dispossessed. I agree with you.

Keith

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Brian Hodgkinson

Wed 24th Mar 2021 16:55

Keith, thank you for the comment. I agree, but I would suggest it is more than the disparity between haves and have-nots. Human nature has an opportunity, whether rich or poor, to remember those who are less fortunate. Our forgetfulness and glib attitudes are more the issue.

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keith jeffries

Wed 24th Mar 2021 10:58

To read this is to draw comparisons in a world where there are those who have and those who do not have. It is not so much the disparity in wealth which is alarming but the sheer lack of human concern for those who are living in abject misery. As one man lives in a villa worth millions there is somewhere another man who is making bricks out of mud to build his home.

Thank you for this
Keith

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