Real Poverty

Real poverty

P K Routray

Poverty and poor we see

disrurbed get we,

come tears to our eyes

pray for them we with sighs.

A ragpicker boy in the morning

bare body with nose running,

starving for food, cloth and shelter

raise our sympathy and urge to favor

But the poverty in his heart we fail to see,

starvation for love and compassion it must be.

Hardly has he known his father and mother,

from his infancy he lives on alms as a beggar.

Begging he gets food, cloth to survive

foot path, shade of a tree and open sky to live

But he does not get love and compassion,

they are beyond his perceiving horizon.

Can we share some?

Perhaps to his heart of heart those are most welcome.

With love and compassion from our heart

both forms of poverty, we may help to part.

These alms the soul within him begs from us

Let us help the Almighty and bless them thus.