Why?

Little girl walked alongside her mother

Viewing people of all color

Walking a little ways further her mother

Stopped and took a detour

Down a dirty alley trash and filth

Littered their path

People lay out under worn covers

Some sat under dilapidated boxes

All wore the same expression

Hopeless and forlorn

Spirits broken

If tomorrow came, they didn’t much care

Lost all their hopes and dreams

Some to drugs and alcohol

Maybe to situations beyond

Their control so many stories

Written on their faces

In their eyes beheld their souls

Deep exploration told the tale

Of the fight for continued existence

In the concrete jungle

Little girl held on tighter to her

Mother’s hand frightened by

What she witnessed

Even young she understood pain

Knew sorrow came and buried

Its ache deep into your heart

Eyes wide with fear she gazed up

At her mother

There was something purposeful in her

Stride

She walked faster and faster nearly

Running from some unseen demon

Realizing she was dragging the child

Like a rag doll, she slowed her pace

Apologetic smile traced her face

Coming to the end of the alley daylight

Making its presence known

A breath of fresh air

Rushed into the lungs of the little one

Stepping out into a new world she only

Had one question for her mother

Why?