Christmas Present

It's Christmas time again
And all around the world
Life goes on
Rich and poor in various ways
Let's look and see shall we?

There's snow on the ground,
Dark and cold
No sign of life Nothing to cheer....
Wait! there's movement
A pile of cardboard boxes.
A head sticks out,
A child, blue with cold
All alone, waiting for the day
To try and beg for a bite to eat
Hoping to survive and make one more day.

Across the street a light is on.
Through the window we can see
A family gathered around
Eating their feast,
Plenty to eat and plenty to drink.
They're finished now.
Time for the gifts so expensive and fine
The remaining of the food left to waste.


Across the street the boy cries
From hunger and pain
The sun is up next day
He never did see Christmas morn.

Sounds like a tale from the past?
We've read it all before.
I wish I could say it is,
But, it is today
London, New York or Africa
It's all the same
As when Dickens wrote his story
Of Ebeneezer Scrouge and poor Tiny Tim.

September 1996 - North Acton, London, England

-Richard