She lives on the street
By the side festooned with garbage
Squatting amongst the muck thrown by folks
Rags around her torso -skin and bones
Dishevelled hair knotted with dirt and lock
Gaze, that goes through, from the deep set eyes.
Picking pebbles with her bonny fingers
Throwing listless, as if staving something afar!
Sun or rain, day or night,
she is there amongst the heap of waste.
Picking at times at the
remnants of food ,squander -thrown at random
from the messy mess by the road.
She throws the crumps at the dogs that lurk
rummaging the muck amongst that she dwells!
I see her each day, a ghostly shadow,
a distant semblance of human form.
Ruth and anguish snaring me,
I bought a pack of shiny white rice
with curry thrown atop, I gathered to reach her.
She turned around in her squat
And seemed to tell me with her eyes
Why bring me that? Why prolong me here?
The soul has left me long ago, and the breath soon will,.
So why, brother why, bring me any morsel?
13 comments:
Heart wrenching reality.
That was a disturbingly graphic scene!
Do you remember the poem, 'Harm', by C K Williams that I had posted sometime ago?
"a ghostly shadow, a distant resemblance of human form."
And we are simply throwing out food in the waste.
Touching poem.
“To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children...to leave the world a better place...to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson.
Children and old people begging on the streets is one of the most poignant and disturbing facets of our times... I was recently watching a video on why its important to educate the girl. its not just about hunger .. a girl child on the street is subjected to all sorts of exploitation. And that affects her family .. her unborn children...
From begging for love to yet another beggary , that’s more common to our eyes…
It s a sight that shows the plight of common people…
Nice poem…
You’ve drawn a haunting picture with words. I could see it, you going there with “a pack of shiny white rice with curry thrown atop” and the bland, indifferent look in her eyes. Is it that she’s not used to kindness?
@ Insignia
@ Balan.
@ Sukanya
@ dr antony
@ Kalpana
@ Deeps
@ Arun
Thanks for the comments.
I did not mention anywhere in those lines about beggary, begging, and beggars.It is quite surprising that some of you chose to see her in that mould.
Daily, when I drive down I see
this woman by the side, on the road.. I'm not too certain if I was able to do justice to her countenance , or general appearance.I have not seen her beg. She seemed all the while oblivious or not noticing or caring for things happening around.The last few lines are indeed my guilt at arm chair discourses.Perhaps she has people who were dear and near to her!
I remember this man who practically lives over the heap of garbage outside my regular grocery store.I have never witnessed any expression on his face ever..its like he is numbed and is silently waiting for his life to end.
@ Kavita,
A resigned look or sometimes a penetrating one!
@ Kavita,
A resigned look or sometimes a penetrating one!
Very vivid, I have seen so many like her as a kid in Calcutta and even Baroda, where I lived. Brought back memories.
@ Sujatha,
Thanks for the visit. Yes such people and scenes are common in most cities and down towns.
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