The Corn Seller
He exuded wisdom
of an old folk
one I still presume,
eludes me
his tiny little fingers,
picking up cornfillets
in and out of the his outdoorsy firepan
I heard his shrieks
muffled and disguised
his father standing close beside him
an effigy of calm in storm
I asked,
'Don't you send your son to school?'
He looked at me
with eyes,
much less judgemental than mine
'I will. If he wants to. But he doesn't.'
I asked the boy,
' Why don't you want to go to school and read? Don't you want to be somebody?'
His reply is stuck in my gut,
ever since
He told me
'I wanted to study
But only one of us could
So I sent my sister to read
She teaches me
everyday, when I get off
from work,
Instead of being just a kid
I became all three
A student,
A son
and a brother'
I still remember those deepset eyes,
sparkling with hope and contentment
wish I had such vigor
and foresight,
to see life,
like he did..
