Saving Childhood

Real photo of a child in Baghdad, Iraq via Alarabia news. 
Amel M. Jassim



A child sells packets of tissues

It is one of the nation’s issues

It is not a child labour, it’s bigger

As child learns to be a beggar

In the streets day and night

Crushed beneath the plight.

Poor, greedy, ignorant choices

Bill children’s costly invoices

Enduring sun and hot weather

letting their childhood wither

Sesame street offered protection

These days, it is sheer dejection

To save a child from this anguish

We’d have root causes to brandish

To ease the mother’s care

Help her become aware

Or childhood becomes a lie

And children everywhere die
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2 Comments

  1. The inscription mirrored the agony of many children round the globe, very explicit in describing that.

  2. “This is a profound and sobering piece. Your ability to illustrate the psychological toll of street life—moving beyond just the physical labor to the loss of a child’s dignity—is incredibly moving. The contrast between the innocence of Sesame Street and the harsh reality of the ‘plight’ is a powerful call to action regarding root causes. Thank you for sharing such an evocative perspective.”

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