nibble, nibble, gnaw, then blowing, soothe
the giant sewer rat gnawing surgically removes
callouses on a street urchin’s foot, it grooves
while a boy sleeps sweating a nightmare of pains
his ghastly visions causing him muted screams
about his mother’s AIDS death, always dreams
patiently, the thirsty rat nibbles until he drinks
but then, a sudden pinch, the groggy child thinks
into the shadows, the phantom rodent slinks
cold, fear, hunger, and pain are making
this five-year-old’s whole body convulse, shaking
hiding under a filthy trash heap, his foot bleeds
mingling blood with whatever the maggot feeds
everything eats this kid, but he cannot
by parents and politicians, just left to rot
these are those that the whole world forgot
consigned to dark alleys and dumps, uncounted
for extermination, they are secretly hunted
greasy rags are tied around his bloody foot, swollen
he gingerly limps from his hiding place, almost frozen
from a street vendor, a silver coin, by him, is stolen
he buys a little glue with the pilfered shilling
brain cells are dying, as fumes, he’s inhaling,
a child forgets about his breakfast, smiling

© Brian Hodgkinson Jr. (aka) –Limericist 2006/2021