
I was reading this week about the many families, who are in debt which they have no hope of ever repaying and whose presence of a fridge in their home is virtually meaningless because it is always empty. I wrote this short poem from the view of an innocent child in one such family.
'A Child's Despairing Prayer' Copyright William Forde.
"Oh stars so bright up in the sky,
shine down upon my family, oh please do;
don't let us die.
Oh warmth of sun rays shine within,
protect me from all earthly fears and fend off hunger and cold nights,
remove uncertainty and fright.
We have no food, we have no coal, my parents say they have no hope,
can't fill a hole.
With three small mouths to feed and cupboards bare, what can we do?
We've nowt but tattered rags to wear
for clothes to see us through.
The bank won't loan 'cos we can't repay,
the shops won't credit another day.
We've nothing left , no more to do, but to leave behind this world so cruel,
a world unfair, unjust, untrue.
Nothing to look back upon or forward to,
with prospects vanquished down the wisher's well,
better go to heaven now than suffer here in this eternal hell.'
William Forde : June 1st, 2014.