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

[Sage]

This poem is profound. It strips down all the illusions of a refugee life and shows the bare essence of the condition prevailing in whatever place you had in mind. It's ability to show exactly how hard it is to live in those desolate and almost inhuman areas is extremely praiseworthy! Good job fellow poetess. Thanks for sharing such a thought provoking verse.

[Mary Helda]

Thank you dear poet...your words meant alot to me

[Sage]

Always, poetess. I hope something good will happen because of your words someday.

[Mary Helda]

I hope so too.

[TheMalady]

Reality is not at all pretty like the budding red rose, it is also thorny one that is hidden or perhaps, avoided and simply forgotten. I really like the last stanza:

"Silence came
Comfort came
The stars came

In the night,he found home."

It's really nice and sad at the same time. Thanks for sharing this! :)

[Mary Helda]

Thank you dear poetess....:-)

[TheMalady]

You're very welcome, dear poetess! :)

[andrew mitchell]

Harsh truths on poverty, starvation, the suffering of kids that should not have to suffer! A sad, power write!

[Mary Helda]

Thank you muchly:-):-)

[θεά]

A hard-hitting but poignant poem of realism. Poverty and starvation is stark. Your poetry however despite its pathos is not an angry one. It bases the condition of malnourishment and wasting away of the protagonist as a fulcrum through which it engages with ideas of nature, salvation and the strength of the soul.

Very good work, Mary. Keep writing. We all need to know.

Best,
M.

[Mary Helda]

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

[Solar]

A powerful and extremely moving poem - every line speaks volumes about how much innocent children suffer. Renders one speechless.

[Mary Helda]

Thank you:-):-)