An Orphan Friend I Made

He just stood there.
Perhaps he feared the passing men,
whose feets threw dust at his innocent eyes
while he shyingly rubbed and cried.
That lonely boy is the son of a mother...
Yet he says again ' Mummy please give me a ten naira'

Once, he stopped to give a straight gaze at the watching me.
I had wondered how cruel our world is becoming,
to have left this child scavenge the dirty streets
and beg so heartily for his daily meals.

Maybe that made my reason for moving very much closer
to so much assure him that he isn't a loser.
"Where is your mother"was my inquiry
before his little story took three drops of tears;
The first was for his shining ribs
The second, for the filty rag that covered his dring chest;
and the third came with my emotions at his little story:
" mother isn't in this world...
...I am here alone to cater my empty belly"

I pitied and patted his back
and my lips reached for his hollow Chin
Then I offered the orphan a half of half bread...
Here, he returned a cute dimpled smile
... How could i have forgotten to ask his name.

I walked a few paces away from his corner
before turning to say goodbye.
But my happy friend had vanished between the air
No...No..No! He wasn't a little ghost!
I think...;
I had seen an angel smile...

Olalere Ibrahim