AND I BECAME A HERO....


I would pass them by everyday
When I went to work, on my way
I saw them smile, with parched lips, hair dry,
With small little dreams in their eyes,
Without any help, nor support
With no platforms to endorse
Them, they whiled away their time in play,
Aimlessly they spent their day.

I saw the beautiful but stained and dirty faces,
Running around all over the place,
At times hungry,
Thirsty and angry,
Sometimes smiling
Or giggling and laughing,
Tears too I saw flow down their cheeks,
Creating dark, soily streaks.

I felt for them,
Falling in love with them
And their innocence,
Wondering at their life's ambivalence!
Wanting to do something for them,
In order to befriend them,
I put my arm forward,
They happily held on to,without any feeling awkward. 

As days passed,
The friendship moved forward,
Eagerly they awaited
For me, their tales to be happily narrated,
We shared food, happiness and tears,
Little prince and princesses to me, they appeared,
I filled them with inspiration 
To do something, developing their aspirations. 

One day I came with books, pens, crayons,
Surrounded with strange gazes as I laid them on,
"What are these sister?" They asked,
"These are your real gems", I said as I smiled,
The first steps towards knowledge that day they took,
With alphabets and numbers in their books,
They learned to hold  pencils and pens,
Drawing out their paths with colours and crayons.

The dreams in their eyes glittered more,
Saw new paths lying before,
Fear gave way to hope,
Seeing life having lots and lots of scope
For them to touch the skies,
Touch new highs,
As they read and understood A,B,C,D, one,two, nine, zero
With broad smiles they hugged me and I became a Hero.

©Madhumita