What We Take for Granted

a story in poem form showing how much people take even the smallest things for granted; from my ebook "Bleeding Heart"

“What We Take for Granted”

 

A girl in poverty pauses on her trek through the field

Full of hopes and dreams despite low health and wealth

Desiring to learn, to travel God’s world!

But suddenly feeling faint, she slows her walk

--heart beat fatigued, but nobody is around to care.

 

In a land a world away, a pretty girl sighs, sitting

At her desk in the classroom, rich jewels on two fingers.

“Why must I be in boring old school, I say? Who cares

About learning, says I--Big deal! I’d rather go play!”

 

As the poverty girl gazes up at the infinite sky above,

“There’s lands beyond here kids from the school speak of.

Wish I was one of them--so smart and so learned.

To do things like ‘reading’ and writing word’s patterned-lines

--But I could never afford school. No, never….”

 

The pretty girl passes by a table of water bottles for sale,

“Gross, who would want that ol’ plain, bitter stuff…?

Get me that fine-tasting soda over there, I say!”

Then drinking one sip, tossing it away without-a-care.

 

As the poverty girl falls suddenly to her knees, roughly.

Dizziness spinning like a rotating wheel in her head

Around--around; fingernails digging into the earth

Around--around; can’t make it stop!

Water…

“That cool, life-giving drink…where is some?”

 

The pretty girl strolls outdoors with a frown on her face.

“See the sunset, with the seagulls soaring above it, my dear?”

Says her mother, staring up at the sky high above, with her.

“It’s just a bunch of colors, mom--it happens every day.

And the birds, I say, better not go ruining my dress…!”

 

As the poverty girl’s vision wavers back and forth

From warm sunlit day to dark’s cold black pit,

“Where is the sunshine, the warm glow, the blue sky?

…Filled with the birds and the colors I so love?

Come back--Come back to me…!”

 

The pretty girl yawns, tiring of all her homework.

“You must get good grades to go somewhere in life.

Don’t you want to travel, dear?

Don’t you have a dream, love…?”

“It’s far too much effort for all that, mom.

As for dreams and life--honestly, who cares?

Life is a bore--life is a bore!”

 

As the poverty girl’s heartbeat slows

“No, I can’t leave this world yet--I can’t!

I have dreams!

So many wonderful things out there to see, and to do;

I want life--life, I say!”

 

As the poverty girl struggles

Heartbeat dimming

Pit of black churning into black of Death’s depths

 

A dream dies…

 

While those of blind minds live on.

Reviews

[Jennie Baron]

Very insightful, aptly worded, and it poignantly points out the injustice in the world. Don't we all wish we could do more about it?

[Elizabeth Rawls]

Yes, at times I feel quite helpless about it, but then I have to remember there is a purpose in everything no matter how tragic the means...something good always emerges from it in the end.