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

[Great Aunt Astri]

very true, very sad. You use some unusual words which seem to echo the little boy's exclusion. The pain is palatable. ( By the way when you say 'winned and dinned' do you mean 'wined and dined'?)

[Mary Helda]

yes..i meant "wined and dined"...i am going to change that...thank you so much for your kind words

[Frank]

So Powerful. Fantastic title!
Set me up with expectation of warmth between lovers.
Froze me down with a horrible reality about children.
Love the use of marasmus.
All so Powerful. Loved it.
Thank you

[Mary Helda]

Thank you so much..i am glad you loved it

[CiNtsaLis]

I loooooooove this!! It's like the LOST boys of SUDAN! *GASP* D: liiiike it loooove it. *hearts*

[Mary Helda]

Awwwww..*giggles* thank you.:-):-)

[Mister T.]

I guess you've heard of the 'refugee crisis' that's been going on for the last few months in Europe. Europian governments treat these refugees as if they're numbers on a page, inferior beings, but they're not, they're humans.. We have money for expensive food, high-end mobile devices, big houses, sports cars.. And what can the refugees afford? Nothing. Everything has been taken from them - their money, their family, their friends, their lives.. Just because of some stupid war. Because of the constant fighting, the constant killing of innocent people in their own country. We should be ashamed by this. I am ashamed by this. Killing thousands, if not millions of innocent people. Who do these people think they are?

[Mary Helda]

I dont know sweetie..but i know that they are twisted people...wish they could be stopped

[Krizito]

Guess our earth is not so rosy after all. I like this...the strong emotions, the words;
"The stars came
In the night,he found home."
You write great, with exceptional meanings.:)

[Mary Helda]

Thank you my dear:-)

[Krizito]

Eternally my pleasure..

[Ruben Rodriguez]

Beautiful, haunting, gut wrenching... The poem unfolds and paints a vivid picture. It makes the reader re-evaluate their own minor problems in comparison.

[Mary Helda]

Thank you so much...:-)

[Coyote Poetry]

I did three trips to Africa in the nineties on water, food and medicine missions. Your poem told the truth.
"But when the night came,
Silence came
Comfort came
The stars came
In the night,he found home."
This is the reason I dislike the USA politicians. 1.2 trillion for war and enough to show small concern for the poor and the homeless. A powerful poem. Needed to be read by more people.
Coyote

[Mary Helda]

Yes,i wish people could help...thank you for your kind words

[Coyote Poetry]

World is mess-up. Trump is consider a leader. Fired more people than he hired. Where are the President Bill Clintons at? Need a leader with concern and vision.

[Mary Helda]

i hope you get a leader like that..Donald Trump is just not the right leader for America...only God can intervene now...Hillary Clinton would do a better job than him

[Coyote Poetry]

I dislike Hilary but I would vote for her over Trump.

[Mary Helda]

Yes..she is better than Trump

[B. Boileau]

The deaths are a cruel,meaningless result of mankind's inability to come together. A very sad, very emotional piece of reality. A powerful message that needs to be heard.


bil
.

[Mary Helda]

Thank you so much...i really do appreciate it:-)

[Mary Helda]

i hope its heard

[softlyfall]

Heartbreaking. I have tried to make as many people aware as I can.
Your poems wields the power of your conviction. So excellent.
"If you cannot feed the whole world, feed on child" Mother Teresa

[Mary Helda]

You are right about that..thank you:-)

[V]

This writing differs from what I have read by you so far, but it's well written. Strong images, expressions makes one thoughtful and sad. The last stanza as well as your very last line create a beautiful, comforting (but still sad) twist.

[Mary Helda]

Thank you:-)