Snatched innocence, dust and grime
They have aged years ahead of time
To get some bread by hook or crook
Never saw a proper loo nor a bed nor book
Words to earn pennies were their nursery rhymes
Ready to be sodomized to earn a single dime
The footpaths or railway stations are their homes
They all suffer from the starvation syndrome
Eyes sunk in their sockets haunt you in sleep
Their dreams and desires hidden deep
Some forced to indulge in petty thefts
Some becoming pickpockets, their fingers deft
Sometimes you will catch them playing in the rain
Splashing in the puddle or playing cricket in the lane
Or doing a somersault dance, playing to a crowd
Coins thrown at them, they collect after having bowed
Gazing longingly at the privileged kids in their fancy clothes and cars
Snatched a gadget from them and spending nights behind bars
What crime did they do to be born so poor
Cursed with it, all their life they will endure

Renu Rakheja a.k.a Tranquil Ocean

http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/i-5-angst-the-street-urchin/