Visiting The Orphanage

Abandoned down a village well, The two year old, Suppumalee Has come to learn some basic words, Pic cit, and Ida and Hari Neela, the oldest shakes his head, Wary, for not all men are friends They may pretend to care but can Abuse your trust for other ends Sama is six years old and lame A landmine took away a limb But she can hop and she’s alive And oh the joy to see her swim! Raja is blind. A single shot Robbed him of sight. Such cruelty In war zones is the common lot He nods, in mute servility. A mother killed by drought or gun The left ear eaten from the head By prowling leopard, rescued now The six-week old is bottle fed We all lose parents, late or soon Are orphaned, every mother’s son But seldom by the mindless act Of terrorist or poacher’s gun The tourists flock to see the herd A happy ending’s worth the cost Forgetting for a moment that For one that’s saved, a hundred’s lost. Eager to reach the orphanage We blank the beggars of the place The withered flea-infested sage The cripple’s dumb, accusing face.