Monday, 24 October 2011
Magpie 88
If you can eat a feast when men are dying,
If you can wear fur coats when kids run bare.
if you can pass a beggar who is crying,
Or see a suffering child, and fail to care.
If you can travel in chauffeur-driven splendour,
Or go to gambling clubs to find your fun.
If you can't see the poverty around you,
I fear you'll find you're on your own, my son.
Thanks to Magie Tales, and apologies to Kipling.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
nice...i can see and it breaks my heart daily....
ReplyDeleteNo apology necessary .. this is intense and provides a great message.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful!
ReplyDeleteI'm always torn when passing a beggar. I avoid eye contact and clench my purse like a miser and feel bad.
Brilliant! But it's hard to keep put your hand in your pocket when you have no spare cash of your own and your fear for your own children.
ReplyDeleteWe can only all give so much as much as we would like to give more. And now with another earthquake, ongoing famine the crash of the euro etc... it seems neverending
A message that should shame our selfish hearts...great job
ReplyDeleteThat's really meaningful, Frances, and so well expressed.
ReplyDeleteExcellent poem and a tribute to Kipling, with no apologies needed.
ReplyDeleteSure beats Kipling's ending of "you'll be a man, my son" (sigh).
ReplyDeleteGood poem, Frances. Reminds us that there are always people worse off than we are and that perhaps it wouldn't hurt too much to share just a little of what we have.
ReplyDeleteBrian, Helen, Yvonne, Jarmara, Susie, Rosemary, Lolamouse, Kathy and Patsy - thanks very much for your generous comments. I'm sorry I can't write individual replies as I've just collected two very - um, how shall I put this? - busy little grandsons, and am trying to entertain them!
ReplyDeleteIt is a versus world indeed!
ReplyDeleteps......hope the babysitting is going well......!!
Thanks, Lena. I have just finally turned the "babies'" light off and hope they are going to sleep. But they were READING, so I'm happy!
ReplyDeletelove the intensity you display
ReplyDeleteLove the poem (loved the original too) and think that the sentiment is spot on.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Jo and Colette!
ReplyDeleteStrong message. Thanks for sharing it.
ReplyDeleteThe Brave - thanks for the visit!
ReplyDeletehosasiBRILLIANT, Frances! I bet there's more more than one writer who wishes they'd thought of that. LOVE it (Kipling would too) Well done!
ReplyDeleteThank you kindly, Rosamund!
ReplyDelete