Hunger burns scorches and chars
Singes my flesh, sears my soul.
The fiery flame rises, flares and blazes
Turning to ashes, the heart's desires.
I snatch at the scraps thrown my way
Clutch at the straws that blow my way
Nothing is mine its all half-eaten
When hunger gnaws I grab, I'm fallen.
They throw me bits and pieces
Leftovers that nobody wants
From laden tables and heaped plates
Their full hearts, the even fuller lives.
When the smoldering flame gains and pains
And the longing grows, is too much to bear
I bow my head, I bury my pride
I stretch my arms to beg for alms.
I am an urchin, a lonely waif
Looking for one who has something to spare
Foraging bins, roaming the streets
Dreaming wild dreams that will never be....
- Shail Mohan (2007)
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Preeti: Thanks for the visit and comment.
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You are welcome Sceptic.
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Yes--very movingly said.Often we dont even spare a thought for the helpless urchin.
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Hullo SM
You have been kind and gracious to have taken note of my postscipt. Thank you.
Sceptic
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Sceptic: Thank you for the recommendation. I suppose their dreams do have yearning for a morsel as the main motif.

BTW, the new hair-cut is in the display picture!
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Anjana Jha: Thank you. Yeah, lonely waifs everywhere we look...
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Thomas Cherian: I saw that you have posted a story with the title 'Urchin'
Thank you for stopping by and your appreciation.
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Hullo SM
" Dreaming wild dreams that will never be.... "
Do such eyes have dreams or yearning for a morsel?
Good poem. Your new hair do is not here for all to appreciate.
Sceptic
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A touching poem... thoughts that are evoked every time we see such kids...
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shail
good poem...one more reason why I am convinced there is no cosmic reason behind our existence on the planet
good one...surprisingly I wrote a store on similar theme :>
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