A Sampaguita Child

A tribute the children who sell flowers on the streets in The Philippines.

Walking across the hot, tropic asphalt,

no tsinelas. Threaded flowers to sell.

How could you deserve this? You have no fault.

In streets you live, littered corners you dwell.

 

That mere twenty-peso bill lights your face:

“For baon, so I can go home,” you say.

When you go home, there isn’t an embrace.

Your parents never ask about your day.

 

They simply take the money, which you earned.

But there is a day they might look at you

a gaze--like the Philippine sun--concerned

and thankful, for you, and all that you do.

 

Still, you deserve more than blistered, burned feet

and selling sampaguita on the street.

Author's Note

Tagalog word translation:

Tsinelas (Chee-neh-las): slippers
Baon (Bah-ohn): snacks
Sampaguita (Sahm-pah-gi-tah): arabian jasmine

It's a sonnet, supposedly.

EDIT: The entire third stanza has been reworked, because I didn't like it.

This is a poem, a tribute, as said, to the children where I'm from. There are poor children in the streets, they sleep under flyovers, and sell flowers to people in cars, or just wherever. Their parents make them work, like their ancestors before them.

These children deserve more. Tagalog is my native tongue, though the Philippines has many native tongues (eighty-three if I'm correct).


-Alm

Reviews

[The Great Brain]

Yes, you're completely right. They deserve the money that the rich people have who cheated the innocent to get their wealth. I'm a Christian, so I believe that one day these people are going to get what they deserve. 100/100 and I'm shelving this for having the same opinion as me and writing an incredible work of art. Pardon me while I go out into the street and give my wallet to a homeless person.

[Legolas]

Wow, amazing! This is definitely a work of art. there is so much poverty in the world. It is very sad. I've had first hand experience by traveling to Africa for 3 weeks. Poems like this bring awareness to peoples eyes about the hurt around them. Wonderful job:)

[khalid]

very nicely written with so many images in the street and at home....i have really enjoyed reading it...i liked your words picking as well as the words flow....i enjoyed your way of mentioning some of your language's vocabulary and good thing that you have put the translation for them....i like the topic of the poem and the social problems it is describing....it is little frustrating and sad but it was nicely written though....i have really enjoyed

[Wolf]

Awesome rhyming!
I like your creativity and the way you made your verses rhyme!
You will make a great poet in the near future!

Keep on writing, Alm! :)