Decay Of Innocence
We value Nintendo, Xbox and PlayStation 3,
Over our ethics and the way the world should be.
Double quarter pounder, super sized coke and fries,
While Cambodians starve and children die.
We abuse our teachers and our schools,
While children slave on fields as labour tools.
This pen in my hand as I write this now,
Was manufactured by a child in a factory town.
We turn on the news; the new IPhone is here,
And we neglect the next segment of fatalities, famine and fear.
We are proud of our reputation; the fattest nation on earth!
While malnutrition plagues children from birth.
And we smoke our cigarettes and drink our beer,
Ignorant that we’re only bringing our own death near.
We permit factories to pump fossil fuels into the air,
Disregarding its effect: I don’t know… I don’t care.
Coral reefs die, Bush fires burn,
And mines empty the earth, while oil rigs churn.
We are devastated by Swine flu and the many that die,
Not shedding a tear, but for Michael Jackson we cry.
And sons of Palestine, bleeding in hospital beds,
Getting slaughtered by Israeli planes flying overhead.
We are aware of the economic crisis, feeling its pain,
However is it not conspicuous, we are to blame?
What will be of us once our IPods are broken, our pens write no more?
Once cigarettes, alcohol and drugs consume us all?
And long after the last corals are dead and forests burnt?
And long after fossil fuels plague the earth?
What’s done is done and we can’t change the past,
But the future is now and the future is us.
I was once the Cambodian hungry in my sleep,
I was once working in fields, blisters in my feet.
I was a child of malnutrition searching for food in an empty bin,
While others fuelled their addiction, on the streets, money in their tin.
I was once a child soldier at the age of ten,
And once worked in a factory to manufacture this pen.
I write this now not to boast or preach,
But to educate, inspire and to teach.
Equality is not a privilege, but a right to us all,
As is laughter for a child and playing football.
The sparkle in a child’s eye, the essence of innocence and to be gay,
Nothing should take that angelic nature away.
However neglecting the world, not looking beyond today,
Causes that innocence to decay.
poem by Basil Jaber (2009)
Submitted by Dan Costinaş
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Related quotes
Children Die: Malnutrition
Think of the children that die each year, each minute, every couple of seconds, and think of how lucky you are. Please, spread the word of this poem, help me educate people about malnutrition's effect! ! !
Lying awake,
A yound child cries,
Her stomach is empty,
She'll probably die,
Could you have guessed,
That every 3.6 seconds,
A person dies,
From malnutrition and hunger,
One out of eight children,
Go to bed hungry each night,
Aged under twelve,
They soon lose the fight,
One-hundred-and-sixty million,
Children, years five and under,
Are malnurished,
And filled with hunger,
Fiften million children,
Die of hunger each year,
Their parents dead,
Or filled with tears,
Many of us worry,
About such trivial things,
Think of those children,
And what their fate is,
Please don't waste food,
And think of how lucky we are,
That we are all fed,
And not dead from malnutrition each year.
poem by Kelly Aragon
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Don't Cry, Child
Don't cry, child
For children starving far away
For homeless people on the streets
Begging for change.
Don't cry, child
For those of us who have no dreams
Who live in dark holes
That we dig ourselves, laboriously - why?
Don't cry, child
For forgotten rainbows
Or melancholy rainstorms
For wispy clouds, always drifting away.
Don't cry, child
For who you are not
Or who you have been
For who you are.
Don't cry, child
For the last animal of it's kind
The mother who cannot feed her children
A planet in need.
Don't cry, child
When you stand on the edge of forever
And wish you could fly
And see the world at your fingertips.
Don't cry, child
For long-gone yesterdays
Or yearned-for tomorrows
Don't cry, child
For what you have done today
Forgive
Start a new day
Make it better than the last.
poem by Nina Dringo
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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The Child
From pillar to post,
Some couples go,
In trying to have,
A child of their own!
They go on pilgrimages,
And they pray to God;
They donate money,
Expecting a child!
They see horoscopes;
They see the stars-position in the sky!
They do repentance,
To get a child!
They see the best doctors,
And undergo medical check-ups;
Some go abroad
For gift of child!
Some seek the help of science,
And try the latest advances;
But only a few
Manage to have a child!
Some give up every hope
And adopt a child;
Some remain childless
Until their death.
God gives children to so many,
And denies the same to some;
Some foolishly abort,
Invoking wrath of God!
Some beat the child;
Some enslave it;
Some starve it long;
Some neglect the child!
God’s sends nature’s furies –
Floods, quakes, famines, diseases,
Destroying people
Who kill children!
Child – the gift of God;
Child – a miracle;
Child – the joy of mankind;
Child – progeny of the human race!
Child – the love of God;
Child – mercy of God;
Child – grace of God;
Child – blessing of God!
A child makes the family wholesome;
A child ushers immense joy;
A child makes life worth living for;
A child is a divine toy!
God gives a child with ease;
Man drives it to disease;
God makes a life anew;
Man ends most lives but few!
Why kill children?
Why maim the tiny tots?
Why abuse children?
Why destroy lives, God-made?
Copyright by Dr John Celes 5-18-2008
poem by John Celes
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Every Child!
the faces of...
every child who'll
go to bed hungry tonite...
every child afraid to sleep
for fear of the soldiers,
the bullets, the bombs....
every child abused
by his parents...
every child humiliated
for being different.
every child who's never
known his own father...
every child with no hope
for an education...
every child sleeping
in homeless cars.
every child alone,
lonely, without love.
every child of every broken home,
every child, every color, every country...
staring at me this sleepless night,
tearing at my heart...
all my children!
poem by Eric Cockrell
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Future of the Country
Tears in the eyes,
Fear on the face,
I often see children working,
Roads being there workplace.
Unwillingly doing work,
By the fear of being scolded
Or beaten by their employers
I see children working for bread.
Messy hair, torn clothes,
Children walking bare feet
And working really hard
Not caring about the rain or heat.
Children doing all sorts of jobs
Including selling and begging.
I have also seen children
Cleaning cars for an earning.
I feel sorry for them.
I feel it is very unfair,
That people make children work
When they should take their care.
Children are delicate,
We must care for them.
For every child in the world
Is as precious as a gem.
At least thinking about the country,
We must stop child labour.
We must stop burdening the children
As they are the country's future.
poem by Sneha Khedkar
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Cherubs
the children that the lord takes away
are the cherubs that you see in stores every day.
although it creates an empty feeling in our hearts
and we will question as to' why'.
these children have a job to do just like you and i.
the purpose or reason is beyond our control or understanding.
cherubs are child angels which god chose for a task.
their life here on earth is short and unfortunatly will not last.
although our hearts will be empty and we will be sad
they're chosen to help others, on that you should be glad.
in gods infinate wisdom he has a plan for this child.
but the lord let the child stay with you
even if it was a short while, just so that you could
feel the love that a child could bring
and to soften up your heart to many other things.
the lord wants you to picture your beautiful child
as a cherub with beautiful wings and a halo above his head
this is the reason that he was laid to rest.
at times he may take a child who is healthy
to help a child who is sick.
to lead the way to the heavenly throne
just so he won't be alone.
they are also put here on earth to protect others giving birth.
poem by Louis Rams
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Adopted Children
Adopted children of the world! !
Through many years and the act of negligence;
Bit, how can i locate my child today?
Now that i am rich;
For, i did not care for him or her and,
He or she was taken away from me! ! ! ! ! ! !
All in the name of poverty;
But now, i am very rich!
And, i want to take care of my own child.
Once again,
Oh yes! ! ! !
For, i am very sorry for not taking care of my own child;
And this has been the matter at hand since all these years!
However, the rich takes advantage of the poor! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
But now, i want to see my own child and take care of him or her.
I don't care how long it has taken! !
For, he or she is my own child;
And, i gave birth to him or her,
But, the society took them away!
However, i am now fighting back today to get them beside me.
poem by Edward Kofi Louis
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Children?
Children are the easily led,
Their learning is profound,
Their lift is happy and proud,
Why do parents forgive them?
We produce the fellow children
To lift and uplift each of us
When there happens a life.
Children need growth to boast,
To live and outlive, to death is their journey
After a life of straightforward happiness and bliss.
Felt good? Why children? Because, say Children,
We live among others who are like the mothers
In the land we call Children.
Child after child shall learn of the existing ones
That need admirals and generals of late.
The defence of a child is the greatest concern,
And I laugh at one who destroys life,
Ever in turmoil is a child because of this act.
Children will be enough to be today.
Children can upset no one who is old and ancient,
Selfless students are children.
However much you push and pull at the threads that children weave
And sort, and spread, and sew,
The adult will sew better and more often than a child.
That is the secret, children.
poem by Naveed Akram
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Those Who Commit Crimes Against Children
Those who commit crimes against children will surely be made to pay
If the Law does not catch them then Karma will one day
Self esteem they do erode and self confidence destroy
In the mind of their young victim the innocent girl or boy.
The abuse of children by an adult surely a crime of shame
Not many worse crimes than it that one could wish to name
Their innocence stolen from them in their most vulnerable years
For the victims of child abuse humanity sheds tears.
The abuse of a child on human innocence an attack
And innocence when stolen cannot be given back
Some of those who commit such crimes as children may have known abuse
But that for their behaviour not a good enough excuse.
Any crime against a child is a hard crime to forgive
And those guilty of child abuse with their sins have to live
And though on another human being one ought not to wish ill
If the Law does not punish them then Karma surely will.
poem by Francis Duggan
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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A Prayer On Child Abuse
Dear God Above
Bless the children that need your love
Bless the lives that are about to end
Caused by a stranger, relative, or even a friend
Children sometimes become confused
That's no reason for them to be abused
Children shouldn't be considered a game,
Nor should your child feel shame
To play with their favorite toy
Like any other girl or boy
Child abuse is a serious crime
But it happens all of the time
If the child is too much trouble
Please send help there on the double
Please don't take the child away
Because someone got angry today
But if these precious children should have to die
Please take them to your home in the sky.
poem by Ginny Cadle
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Child's innocence
Standing outside in the rain
the child of God
full of innocence and pain
Wondering and waiting
for the day to end
Tummy rumbling
feeling sad and dirty
needing the satisfaction of food
and the warmth of any person
willing enough to care
Begging for money
praying for food
all the people passing
without a further look
at the small child with tears in her eyes
Where is the love
and where is the care
to all the innocent children
walking around the streets
without anyone to love and care for them.
poem by Sharon Beukes
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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THIS IS OUR WORLD! ! (SHOCKING n EXPLICIT)
Where a child lives in a warm mother's cocoon
Where a child is sold to the prostitutes, her life doomed
Where a father fiercely protects his child
Yet another father enters another's child
Where children play without any fear
Where men enter boys through the rear
Where a child gets a new toy every day
Where a child becomes a toy near the bay
Where a child is whooped up and twirled
Where a child is forced down and hurled
Where they go to fancy schools, sing and play
Where for a single meal, they sweat and labour all day
poem by Renu Rakheja
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A Child In A Man
Testosterone muscled men have,
The Top and the center, the caves,
Something is there to do the basic,
Nothing is there to think angelic,
Given the work, they do sincerely,
As the kids in the play school aviary,
The children long to be praised,
The children need to be reminded,
The children want to be around,
The loving hearts that care,
In each and every man, there is a child,
That long for the love of a mother,
When the women identify that child,
They have the responsible man in the household,
When the women take good care of that child,
They have the obedient handyman in the household.
When the women try to be funny with that child
The child will be the runaway kid,
Likes to play truant, shows the authority,
Displays tantrums and becomes juvenile delinquent.
Identify and rear that child efficiently..
poem by Veeraiyah Subbulakshmi
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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The War Of The Children
The child abuse has been the war of the children
It is going on for too long in a world like this
The children is the victim of it
It is the children who suffers more each day
Stop the child abuse now
We want to put an end to this war
Make the public aware that this exists
Love the children with all your heart
Make the children feel worth
Make them feel special
Show them respect and let them respect you
Because respect and love is a two way thing
Respect the children wishes
Make this world a safe place for our children
Teach them to listened
Let them feel welcome in this world
Let the children live there lives
When you abuse the children
You break there hearts, you are destroying there dreams
And the respect they have for you is lost
What do you get when you abuse the children?
You get no satisfaction
The children have lost there sense of worth
They don’t feel special anymore
And they don’t feel safe anymore
The children know whom they can trust and whom they can’t
Help the children to grow in a safe environment
Feel there hearts with laughter and take there sadness away
Give them the support they need each day as they live there lives
poem by Aldo Kraas
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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To The American People
common sense solutions:
tax the wealthy.
tax corporations and financial institutions.
put a tariff on imports.
go back to building things here.
get behind the American farmers.
grow as much of your own food as you can.
raise the minimum wage.
change from oil addiction to alternative fuels.
stop the damn wars.
feed every child!
give every child equal education opportunities.
stop prescribing narcotic pills like m & m's.
take money out of the courtrooms.
let anyone live here that works and contributes.
teach your children respect.
teach them to read.
teach them to work.
make health insurance a part of your taxes,
on a percentage basis where it's fair to all.
give everyone equal health care.
take care of the aged and the disabled.
but people that can work need to work!
fight for the environment for our children's sakes.
quit fighting over religion, politics, and sexual orientation.
restore human dignity by equal rights, equal justice.
stop judging, and start affirming.
pay politicians minimum wage!
clean up the street gangs and the prisons...
put prisoners to work, and educate them!
stop building bombs and armies,
and rebuild this country...
the roads, the cities, the factories...
put people back to work!
stop spraying crops with harmful chemicals
and feeding animals antibiotics
that are dangerous...
and pay teachers like they have the most
impotant job in the world...
they do!
teaching your children!
poem by Eric Cockrell
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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A Child Is Born
a child, a child, a child is born
to a mother who lies near death;
no food, no home, no place to go,
smell the stink of fear on her breath.
you build and destroy, and build again,
pound your chests with arrogant pride.
litigate and over populate,
sell your vision while children die.
if there's a God He doesnt live
in your temples and your shrines.
but in the cry of the hungry child,
and the ones you've left behind.
a child, a child, a child is born....
poem by Eric Cockrell
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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When We Abuse Nature
For the burning of fossil fuels there will be some price to pay
A looming Natural disaster some climate experts say
A looming disaster of destruction and death
Climate change than terrorism to human kind is a far greater threat.
Our abuse of Nature is out of control
Our burning of fossil fuels especially coal
From our Earth Mother who feeds us far too much we have stole
When we dig up her ground we root at Nature's soul.
The things we will destroy ourselves with in Nature we've found
Uranium for nuclear reactors and bomb making should be left in the ground
Other safer forms of energy that humans can use
When we abuse Nature ourselves we abuse.
On polluted or clean air and water we do have a choice
And for our abuse of Nature we will pay the price
It is due to our Earth Mother our gift of life we enjoy
And in trying to destroy her 'tis ourselves we'll destroy.
poem by Francis Duggan
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Todays Child
A child grows with time, and time changes,
But does the child change?
Yes, he changes
But how does he change?
A child’s future depends on his people, his elders, his friends
The world today decides the future of the child
Look upon the child, see him, hear him, and understand him
Do not ignore the child and destroy him.
poem by Joy Lovelet Crawford
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Poem from a Picture
(Children at play on a French Battlefield)
'When I was a child,'
You shall tell one day,
Children, on these blackened fields
Gallantly at play,
'All the quiet sky
Burst in death aflame;
One day, I was young,
Then . . . The Horror came.'
'When I was a child . . .'
Wind-tossed leaves of war,
Is there childhood still for you,
Wise in horror-lore,
Who have heard your sisters' screams
Shattering your play,
Seen your mothers past their dead
Led to shame away?
Ragged, helpless, maimed,
Hungry, left alone
Where the smoking roof-beams lie
By the wrecked hearth-stone,
Still you mime (child-hearts are strong,
Childhood pain is brief)
Echoes of world-victory,
World-defeat, world-grief!
Dauntless in your rags,
Insolent in mirth,
Laughing with young lips that know
All the griefs of earth,
God, who loves a high heart well,
Will not let you fail–
You are France, who laughs at Hell–
France, who shall prevail!
poem by Margaret Widdemer
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Seeds of Destruction
if you can watch a child cry
without being touched by its innocence,
you need more help than the child.
if you witness a child of any colour
at play and are not touched by its
inquisitive spirit and bubbly energy,
you need to run through your heart and soul
for any streak of racism that may have eaten
up your propensity to love.
if children in a country
are not playing and having fun together
in their exploration of this wonderful world
and adults do nothing to encourage
them to get to know each other
they are planting seeds of destruction
which will blow up all their dreams
in their future world.
poem by John Tiong Chunghoo
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