Taken by Kevin Carter in the year 1994, this picture of the Sudan Famine got the Pulitzer Prize. It is said that Kevin committed suicide 3 months later due to depression.
I opened my mail one morning
eager to catch,
eager to catch,
the lovingly written lines
by family and friends
by family and friends
Jokes and poems
and true stories to match.
and true stories to match.
Then I opened this mail
that ate at my heart,
that ate at my heart,
A little boy, so thin and small,
stricken by hunger,
stricken by hunger,
Towards food he crawled
in the dazzling heat.
in the dazzling heat.
In the shadows
a vulture patiently waited,
a vulture patiently waited,
Ready to eat him
as soon as he died.
as soon as he died.
The food camp
far away, too far to rest,
far away, too far to rest,
I shiver to think
what happened to him next.
what happened to him next.
Would he be rescued from the jaws of death?
Would he have found someone
to nurse him to health?
to nurse him to health?
Is he out there alive and well?
Reaching out to others in Sudan
as down and beaten,
as down and beaten,
Helping save lives
similarly famine stricken?
similarly famine stricken?
I refuse to believe
the vulture had its fill,
the vulture had its fill,
I know there are
kind souls out there aplenty,
kind souls out there aplenty,
Ready to shelter
a starving life so ill
a starving life so ill
Hope and sorrow both I feel,
on the image my eyes stay glued.
on the image my eyes stay glued.
Living in comfort
with wastage all around me,
with wastage all around me,
My lavish style
left me guilty shamefaced.
left me guilty shamefaced.
My heart goes out
to poor and hungry souls,
to poor and hungry souls,
And make up my mind
to do some service,
to do some service,
Taking an oath
I will put into practice,
I will put into practice,
Giving some
of what’s mine, I pray,
of what’s mine, I pray,
Help a person;
comfort a helpless each day,
comfort a helpless each day,
Something small,
a kind thought if not the act.
a kind thought if not the act.
(11th May, 2006, Nellore)
© Nalini Hebbar/openmind/2009 - all rights reserved
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9 COMMENTS:
It is saddening to see this picture.. There are millions of people in this World who die because of starvation, and there are millions and millions of rich people who ignore their plights. Shameful!
Beautiful and heart-rendering poem.. You brought a tear in my eye! You pen your thoughts in such simple words, but they do have a very deep impact on the reader!
Great going, Mrs. Nalini!
P.S. I've observed that calling you 'Mrs. Nalini' sounds way too formal as compared to your 'little friend' title for me. Please suggest me a name that I can call you!
Nalini will do just fine, little friend!
thanks for the comment...the mail had the same effect on me...we do so little for the downtrodden...it's really sad!
This is a beautiful poem and moving photograph.
Yes I have seen this picture before and it definitely shook me to the core.
We are living in comfort and security and someone else in this world is dying because he does not have a single morsel in his body. Makes me sometimes wonder if GOD is really there to see the suffering.
Really well said Nalini....your poem moistened by eyes...
poignant
That picture haunted me for days when I first came across it few years ago... with your words to accompany it .. it will haunt me more now.
sad but true...grt post
god, this is soo terrible!!!I hope and pray the photographer who took this picture rescued the child..
The photo haunted the Photographer and he died of depression...I think we lost both of them
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