Engulfed amidst a sea of faces
Grubby and pained unseen by outside world
No gentle caring hands to wash away or love
Young children kept cot captives
Lay watching days pass like minutes
Unable to do anything - no toys
Consumed in filth filled
Disease ridden morgues
Their lives never even lived
But already they're forgotten
Tiny cages keep their restrained
Torsos and limbs twisted stiff
Tethered worse than prisoners
To unknown length of sentence
As knotted sheets bind them
No one comes to bring comfort
In Serbia persecuted
These tots will never stand
Or speak of life endured
Grateful to even have been spared
Unable uneducated ignored
Their rights ignored
How long are we to watch
As Western Civilization
Who admonish such treatment of our own
Before we stop these audacity's
Bringing perpetrators to account
Tortured tots tormented
No freedom to run free and play
No rights to human comforts
Unconsoled souls rocking to and fro
From cradle to grave
Author notes
Make a stand on issues that matter in our world, let the work of poets be heard, be counted collectively!
A contest entry
- 1 hour contest - closes in 1 hour by Tangled Angle.
300 points, ended November 24, 2007, 14 entries
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest - Propaganda by Zixaphir.
550 points, ended December 11, 2007, 14 entries
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest - Poetic Paradise Poet of the Month by Silent Cougar.
925 points, ended December 27, 2007, 6 entries
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest - Onomatopoeia by Danna Hobart.
300 points, ended December 9, 2007, 8 entries
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
Will you stand up and be counted?
Comments
1 - 18 of 18
-
The death forays of the Serbs were a revenge for the death forays of the Croats on them in World War II. Neither party had the funds in both occasions to purchase the arms with which their death squads massacred the innocent of their enemies; they were 'sponsored' by their 'friends' in the US and Russia (in that chronological order). As DA Jim Garrisson was told by Mr. X in the Oliver Stone's movie JFK: "The organizing principle of any society is for war." The arms trade is the most despicable trade in the world. As long as the people do not question their conduct any hope of preventing war will remain futile. Thank you for creating and sharing this thought provoking poem. Take care,
Chris
-
This cuts deep to the core. The views seen by some are remembered very easliy with writes like this. But it's not until you experience the full effect of the conditions found in the places descriped, can you fully appreciate was is being spoken of.
yes, we should all join hands and pray for a solution, to all suffering, man woman and child worldwide.
Thanks for this inclusion. -
Your sense of show is improving greatly, but you're still generalizing instead of being blatantly specific. ("Young children,"- as opposed to old children? How old are they? What's their age range? "Disease ridden morgues,"- what diesases? Someone isn't going to catch the common could and say, leprosy the same way.)
Think how you would describe "tiny cages" in a conversation with someone. For starters, how tiny is tiny? You'd probably describe them compared to something in your environment or by showng size with your arms or hands.
Remember this: SHOWING IN POETRY IS THE ART OF DESCRIBING WITHOUT USING YOUR HANDS.
BE SPECIFIC Anna.
You are getting better. READ MORE, WRITE LESS (McDaniel, McKibbens, Wakefield, et cetera). Better to have one 10 caliber poem than 10 5s.
-C
-
I must say
Recently I have seen many poets write on this subject. Sadly it seems over here {USA] we hear very little about it. There is much more coverage about Somolia & Dafur especially by the democrats. So perhaps you can fill me in as to why this is happening in Serbia. Is this politically or religiously motivated hate? The certain terror that thses children face should be known all over the world as well as the reasons why. Keep up the fight my friend
-
HEARTBREAKING
I agree with every single word of this. The forgotten children of Serbia and Herzegovina/ as well as Czechoslovakia is a world wide disgrace. It, especially shames the Western World.
Where are the Human Rights of those children that lie forgotten in flea-infested dormitories? Where are those nations that harp on about 'Freedom For All' under the Human Rights Charter? Where are they?
And,especially, where are the United Nations?' The abject denial of those childrens basic human rights, is a slur on the whole of Humanity.
They are the forgotten ones. The ones that cry out in the wilderness and yet whose voices are never loud enough for the ears of the United Nations or the Western World.
Their condition would NEVER be allowed to happen in the countries of USA UK, Australia or any other Western state. There would be a national outcry. Your imagery in this, is heartbreaking, and vivid to say the least. It hits the heart of every good-minded person. You have done well.
Wayne
Love and respect
to you
xxx
-
A subject close to my heart, I have a column with details to send emails for change of this atrocity...it's on my page
Poetically, I agree with Danna's comment
Thanks for sharing.
La x
-
This is a familiar subject. We've been seeing the images of these children for decades now, and yet things don't change.
As far as the poem goes, you tell it very well, and you have some clever phrases, but you tell more than you show. -
Tears flowing
But what can i do... i am only 1 voice. Can one voice be heard clear around the world. You bring honor to these souls with this inspiring write. BRAVO TO YOU
-
Excellent!
More people need to be made aware of issues that affect their fellow man
Great piece of poetry!
Thank you for sharing! -
This is so good.Better than I wrote when I wrote about it but still I wanted to try to get the word out too.I wasn't able to bring such graffic details but your words will be heard and it is in my prayers that people will stand and try to make these things that are being done to these poor people stopped.
-
Eh.. I feel like I'm watching those "Donate 10c" Christian Children's Fund commercials. Have I ever mentioned how much hate those? The difference? Instead of being there, standing over starving children, asking me to donate, you're not. You're here, you're describing to me only what you know, telling me you want me to help, because you want to help. Sure, the imagery is great, sure, I feel bad for the children, but what really gives this one any power is that I know you're not some guy on TV with a commercial that costs god-knows-how-much. You're someone who I KNOW cares, and I can feel it in your words.
-
Could you please give me a source for this? Serbia - like all countries in one way or another - has some black spots on its recent past - but I have never heard this particular accusation before. (Romania, yes, but that was a very different situation!) Certainly, I have not been following Serbian news very closely this last two years (receiving cancer therapy tends to be a virtually full-time occupation), so I may have missed something. But if you could give me a source, it would make it much easier for me to do something practical.
-
i remember the romanian orphanages,,you prick our concsience with this..as it never gets better , good work anna xxppg
-
Powerful. The message was put clear across the page. Well done.
-
TEARS FLOWING
Your words have such power and you paint a gray but dark picture for the heart and mind...The pain and suffering that befalls our children is a crime that is unforgivable!
If all would become one voice and if all would stand together then just maybe this nightmare would come to an end!...*thumbup*
-
This is heart wrenching and so very sad. I’m so glad you composed this as more people need to read it and become active to change things. How can we be passive about this? How can this happen? Your poem is vivid and conveys an important message the world need to hear. Thank you!
Love,
Amera♥
-
Excellent.
Good topic, well written, like it.
-
Powerful in both emotion and perspective. So much sadness in the world and such a paucity of poets to sing its woes. Well penned, Anna-Marie!
Adding your comment:
1 - 18 of 18
