Poverty

Like a dreaded disease,
It descends upon man,
Ripping him of his dignity and pride,
Sapping him of his laughter and joy,

Like a big conspicuous scar,
It spreads across the faces of the helpless children, the less privilege, and destitute,
Denying them of educational opportunities, and a healthy living,
Seizing from them the right to a joyful and long lasting life,

From the mountains and valleys of Africa, it cries,
From the oil rich regions of West Africa, it rages,
From the war-torn zones of Sudan, it yells,
From the rural parts of Congo, it shouts,
And from the battle-raging fields of the Middle-east, it rings,

Within my spirit, it sparks up the lights of sadness,
Within my soul, ignites the fires of poignancy,
Down my cheek, it rolls down rivulets of tears,
And my heart bleeds,

The silence has lingered for too long,
The indifference for decades,
And the complacency for centuries have lasted,

Now is the time,
Here is the season,
And the period is right,
For us to come together,
Pull our resources together,
Jettison the load of poverty,
Eradicate the pangs of hunger,
And destroy the roots of sadness.