Homeless Boys: India

They sit by a fire

Today they have been lucky

Today’s streets, rich in wood and cow dung;

Flies don’t like fire and they have eaten.

Young boy laughs

His eyes eat sparks and are merry;

Life is good on the streets of Calcutta;

See! Even the shadows are carrying wood.

By his side sits an old man of twelve years

Who has seen more tomorrows.

On his face, there is no joy;

His limp hand betrays

Only the hopelessness of more tomorrows.

Reviews

[bluessadmood]

ohh..but its wonderful my friend..to sit on the lovely streets of Calcutta..where its cold ..but there is lots of wood sticks and cow dung..where there will be lots of warmth..these boys are very lucky ..what more should they ask for..lots of warmth on the streets..how romantic..what pretty life..what does that song says ..i would rather be on the street near where you live..these boys are out for romance..God how ugly this life is..nightmare all around us ..but we ignore it..its a headache why should you ever bother..take the beautiful things and talk about it....what is it you and those homeless boys..they were made to live down these streets..its where they belong,,i am so ashamed even writing about this..this is a joke and i am laughing at myself..and he tells me life is not a b***h ..he wants to teach me how to live..tells about some song..how well taught he is ..he says life is so good and i am bitter only because i can not get ..then he stops..how people can get so ugly at times ..just like life that brought them to this world so i have to live with people that smells
oh life i could never stand you no more

[Emily B]

Little, old boys. . . sparks from the fire. . . growling bellies. You paint a vivid portrait with your words. If I never find my way to Calcutta, I will know how the scene looks. They are lost boys. I wish they could all be found.

[Wondering Mind]

"See! Even the shadows are carrying wood.By his side sits an old man of twelve years"
A poignant and profound piece, with a perfect punch of irony.
Too many homeless and hungry boys in this world and I wonder when it will be "we" realize that if we continue with our ignorance, greed, and plain old apathy, our grandchildren, or even our children may end up homeless in a big Calcutta... I wonder.

[emmajoy]

' By his side sits an old man of twelve years ' //// and that old man might never live to shave, John.

This tragedy's gone on forever, it's one of the biggest blots on the civilised world's book of Humanity.

Your words made me cry. Your irony is well placed, though beautifully put..

[Patient Poet (Yos)]

I never been in India yet, but what I had told is that the first thing you can't run away from , is the smell .... I guess you need to learn to live with it, thank you for sharing Shalom Yossi