Better Dead Than Alive!

A vulture sits behind a little boy, Who squats for ‘Nature Calls’ amidst a field- A village practice (without safe toilets) , And wonders if the kid’s alive or dead! Mal-nourished grossly, looking ‘skin and bones’, The child appears so sick, with weakened frame; He struggles at defecation at noon! The scorching summer sun adds to his woes! A snake lies curled around the neck of boy! The child looks blue as if bitten by it; His naked body looks so very frail; One wonders if he will complete his task. The vulture could have mistaken the boy For some kind of a beast about to die; It waits to peck the frame if motionless; ’Tis all the same if boy is live or dead! Such ghastly scenes are rife in poor countries, Whose villages are poverty-stricken; Where illiteracy, lack of hygiene, Lack of good food- affects most of their young. While affluence afills the posh cities, Stark-nakedness stigmatizes suburbs; How does a nation boast of great progress, When kids by millions stay ravished and sick? Is it man-made or scourge of wrath of Gods? Blame ourselves for this sad state of affairs; When ‘Big money’ goes down the drain always, Why human kids stay starved, naked and sick? Copyright by Dr John Celes 3-11-2008