|
I was one of the rough children
with hard muscles and hard words,
with haunted hungry eyes
staring out of lean faces.
My scraped knees showed
through holes in my ragged jeans,
and my arms poked out
too far from their sleeve hems.
I was one of the children
screaming in the streets,
slinging mud at empty buildings.
I stared at you,
pretending to smile
as you rode by my ragged home
in your sleek car
with your sleek clothes.
I longed to forgive you,
but you always kept your eyes averted;
you always kept your mind averted;
and you never ever smiled.
