the end is silence

where do the little beggars come
from, mama?
why do they operate at the
crossroads?
don’t they have to learn math and English
or have a wonderful time with
friends? the beggars come from the sky, honey
dropped by the typhoon
along main thoroughfares,
in front of shop windows
or near garbage dumps from the sky? that must be
very close to heaven
but who are their parents, mama
why do the old people let their
children
go down to earth to sniff pollution and taste hunger have the done anything wrong
that made the parents
furious and punish them
so hard, right-a-way? no, dear
of course they love their children
dearly
and yearn for healthy food,
clean clothes, cozy homes, and
colorful toys for their treasured children although they live close to God up
there
it’s still far away from heaven, honey they have no power to go anywhere
only from the vortex of the storm
all they can do is just follow where
the hurricane takes them along is anything we can do for them,
mama? (silence)