Children Living In Poverty

After watching a documentary on children in poverty

I felt extremely humble; saddened by what I did see

These stories were told by admirable, young children

Who shared with us tales on how their family function

On benefits with not enough to eat three meals a day

Some of them had never had the chance of a holiday

The way they told their stories helped me understand

They lived from day to day, tried not to make demands

To have never shared a holiday and family time away

Parents struggling to meet bills, that they had to pay

Benefits could not cover the costs of their daily living

Basic needs are met by the government’s providing

They realised the need to get a job when they grew up

Listening to them speak, they’d already had to grow up

Labelled as being poor but grateful of such little things

How could we ignore, the importance of their feelings?

For any child to live in poverty, at risk of being bullied

For how they dress, lack of toys, not because of greed

Knowing we’re rated as a country with such high poverty

Really did make me question our government’s sincerity

Will this ever change; for the children’s sakes it should

If we can help bail out the banks for the economical good

Then why are we failing to provide for all these children

What’s happened to this country that we all call Britain?

© Nicola Marinkovic