Sunrise at Night

street children

His ribs wailed, poking through his pellucid skin 

Like shards of glass begotten by bondage 

The street was his fate

Every day, he sat under the blistering scorching sun 

While the heat became his confidante 

No sweat. How could it emanate? 

When he was but a dying rose, a walking disease 

The gut-wrenching stench of his war’s truculence

Cutting through his little nostrils 

He knew no other fragrance 

Saliva tasted so heavenly against his cracked lips 

He wined and dined with flies and rubbish 

Yet he could afford a ghost of a smile 

Even when his eyes were the epitome of a grave… 

So hollow, so lost, No tears, no light---

Happiness tripped over his sadness and fell

Humanity lay hidden behind his eight years 

But when the night came, silence spread 

The stars glittered and bore comfort into him 

In the night he found home.

Author's Note

Thousands of children are suffering as a result of wars especially in Africa..with no love,no food,no parents...

Reviews

[Nigel Newman]

Mary I've only just got to this in my RR. Wow! Very powerful. Very pictorial. Very moving.

As always I have suggestions and comments
- cuting - I think you probably mean cutting
- personally I think it would read better and finish more powerfully if you deleted the last line; maybe even add a couple of extra 'came' lines, such as peace, freedom, etc. These would add to the rhythm of the closing stanza, whereas the one line finish, to me, seemed too obvious and unnecessary and sort of broke the spell.

Back to the poem; there are some fabulous lines, for example
- happiness tripped over his sadness and fell
- he wined and dined with flies ...

This is very, very powerful writing, Mary.

[Mary Helda]

i can not believe i have actually just seen this right now after all this while. i apologize. thank you so much and i have redone it and i hope it is much better. i appreciate it

[Antoñyo]

The rare piece that seems to get more vivid with each read.
Powerful and necessary.
Thanks for the share.

[Mary Helda]

Thank you Antonyo:-)

[Antoñyo]

You're welcome

[sempiternal]

This was an exceptionally beautiful poem. I loved it.
"His eyes were the epitome of grave. So hollow, So lost. no tears,no light" it is so sad that children have to live this way.this poem was really very moving

[Mary Helda]

Yes,it is indeed so sad..thank you so much,,i really do aporeciate it

[Willard Wells]

Africa and around the world. You have put a vision on paper that some will say is not real, but it is all too real. Thank you for sharing a vision that needs to be witnessed around the world. Then change it.

[Mary Helda]

Thank you so much

[Lydia Shutter]

How monumentally moving your words are! "Happiness tripped over his sadness and fell " It is a tragedy that any child has to live this way. Such a compassionate write. For children such as the one you so eloquently describe, there is no childhood. Lydi**

[Mary Helda]

Thank you so much for your kind words

[Elvin Morello]

I really enjoyed this poem. Although it makes me quite sad that such things still has to be written and how many times do we still have to express ourselves to make this world change? mungu akubariki! Africa needs voices like yours.

[Mary Helda]

Thank you so much my dear friend...mungu akubariki rafiki yangu

[Mary Helda]

Your words do mean alot to me

[Elvin Morello]

You're welcome, dear :)

[iamshadowine]

a heart touching poem! i really loved the ending stanza
"But when the night came,
Silence came
Comfort came
The stars came

In the night,he found home"
its true that some people have to live without shelter,food, love, they have to struggle day and night to get it. i love your poem!

[Mary Helda]

Thank you so much..thanks for reading and reviewing,i really do appreciate it

[SuspectGray]

I could find no definition of marasmus...help!

Other than that I love the way you capture the environment of his day and the comfort of the night

[Mary Helda]

Hi there,marasmus is a severe undernourishment causing an infant/child's weight to be significantly lower for their age....and thank you so much for reading and reviewing:-):-)..

[Carolynn]

This is heart wrenching - you portrayed it so well. Our world needs healing - there are too many gaping wounds :(

[Mary Helda]

Thsnk you do much ..i really do appreciate it

[jacob erin-cilberto]

this is intensely sad...reminds me of the commercials for helping the kids for so much a month...hopefully the money sent is going where it really needs to...and that smile can become real from the inside out.

wonderfully expressed piece.

j.

[Mary Helda]

I hope so too..thank you so much