Bitter Candies

The poem ‘Bitter candies’ is about a young boy of about 10 years old who is a child laborer. The poem tries to express the evident disparity in our society and how all of us have managed to live with it unaffected by the stark grim reality around us. The child however has lost his right to an innocent, carefree life; his right to education. He can only wonder if things will turn out to be better and if his dreams will come true.

He is fending for himself

Running errands

From one corner to another

Ever so ready and bubbling with energy

Willingly finding himself

Doing almost any chore

At an age when

He must be obliviously playing

Fluttering and hovering around

Like a lovely butterfly

His face radiantly beaming

The walls reverberating

With his unheard sound

An outcry!

Of resentment, of hopelessness

Of self pity and longing

What is behind his innocent eyes

And charming smile?

His innocent eyes speak of

A not so innocent life after all

He is in a league of his own where

Scanty are the chances of a championship

His eyes are but a mere window

To the world that beholds him

Will this lovingly cruel haven

Embrace him or Shatter him?

Whose apathetic hand does

These decisions lie upon anyway?

And until that happens

All he can do is to continue

Smiling and hoping

And in the process

Of making his ends meet

He shall meet his own end.