IN THEIR EYES
Three little kids
Crunching on stale salted biscuits
Barefoot, they padded along the crowded street
Sweaty grime on hungry faces
Empty tummies grumbling in hollow places
Unseen by the world they line in
So they created their own world and living
With stolen planks for bed
Beside the putrid sewage is where they lay their heads
Really young, they were supposed to still be innocent
Yet to take a step along the thread that leads to adolescence
“Castaways” in a friendless and brutal world
Young soldiers already bearing the scars of wars
They were …
They wore…
I bet if you saw them too, you’d be lost for words
Our paths crossed this morning
And I couldn’t help wondering
There goes a bunch of friendless urchins
I’d give them my little instead of nothing
Tattered clothes and smelly toes
So I held my breath as they came close
Hands in hands they struck a funny pose
As the youngest licked his lips and picked his nose
To amuse or to scare me only God knows
Might have been a show of comedy
If the script wasn’t written in tragedy
So with a frown I dropped my blessed last “SHANDI”
Praising the heavens for such a huge favour
They lifted their faces to say thanks once more
The voices caught me like a blow beneath the belt
And the smiles caused my practiced frowns to melt
But it was the eyes and all I saw in there
The pent of fears and the sorrow of three young years
That finally unhinged my emotions and brought down the tears
In their eyes I saw the twisted fangs of pain
Strangling hopes from three young hearts
In their eyes I saw their helplessness in the hands of a bitter fate
In their eyes I read stories that may never be told
Young lives that were already too old
Shriveling away and perhaps too weak to stand tonight’s bitter cold
In their eyes I heard their questions
And I saw my own reflections
“shey na like dis we go dey live”?
Weaker than a day old chick
As my heart failed me and plunged deep into their grief
My arms lack the strength to give them courage
And my pocket has no depth to fill their bellies with sweet porridge.
So I’m turning to you on the other side of the bridge
As you cross over us to your well stocked fridge
Add one more piece to the pile of rolls
Cos tonight there’ll be four hungry boys coming home
WOW.
The last few lines killed it! Guy…
Guy…
Kudos. Well done!
Editor’s Pick! Editor’s Pick!! Editor’s Pick!!!
Ilerioluwa…you have done it once again! This is the stuff poems from 9ja or about 9ja should be about. Our writings, musings, ranting and raving should reflect the state and condition of our society.
And then be spattered with a bit of humour, fun and play…as all work and no play…
This is par excellence.
Thank you for sharing.
Beautiful!
We really shouldn’t only talk the talk but do the do as well.
Well done.
This might have been a poem of comedy… if it didn’t tell woes of tragedy.
Painful and heart-rending. You have passed across a piercing message that could draw even the hardened if not to tears, then to remorse.
You are quite a poet… an artist. @ilerioluwa
Nice end!
Respect!
Speechless…the poem have dumbfold me.
So nice.keep it up!
Superb!…It flowed, carried me in its waves of emotion and the last line cinched it and drew me in-rhymes, lines and stanzas!..
Well written, Well done and may ur ink always flow…Well done!..$ß.
*sigh* when will these sort of encounters end?
Your keyboard pours out lamentations many human heart carries but refuses to show…perhaps many do this out of shame and many out of guilt; but guilty we all are!.
As I take in the scene you so beautifully described, I feel the piercing gaze of our friendless urchins as you so well put it…THE LOOK STAYS WITH YOU.
Then when you look, really look into the eyes, you finally see the sorrow,and wide eyed misery of a fate trust upon them.
Splendid writing. The final lines…wow! Impressive. Definitly worth reading again
somehow I read the accolades before the poem,
and really ur work’s worth the accolades and more…
“In their eyes I heard their questions
And I saw my own reflections”
a chill ran down my spine as I read that. If only we can at least do to others what we want them to do to us, then we can enjoy the world as the world enjoys us.
You touched me sir!
Do it again…
Poems are becoming a regular read for me now, unlike before, thumbs up- you nailed it…
Wonderful! Impressive!!!
great poem, though am sad for the hungry boys but that’s part of life. sober though but good writing