THE ORPHANS OF ADDIS ABABA

“Allah, Allah,”
comes the morning chant
from the Grand Mosque
and, in their huddled blankets,
stir the orphans of Addis Ababa.

The dispossessed of the earth
make their cooking fires
as the sun comes up
across the shanty rooftops.
Donkey hoofbeats clop
along the pathway.
Rooster cries pierce the air,
as children stir,
their hungry eyes remembering
those they love
who are no longer here.

What will this continent
of orphans eat today?
As we go about
our placid, well-fed weekday,
our second cups of coffee,
our comfortable knowledge
that we will eat later
this same day,
little Mintesinot,
prince of the street,
leaves the marked off
square of earth where he was lying,
where he has lain in blankets
the four years since he was born,
where his mother died
and his father now lies
dying.

With tears, he is moving
to a two room shack
where 60 other orphans
are being cared for
by a tired but indomitable
Grandmother,
who keeps on keeping on
because someone has to
feed the children,
so she is trying.

Little Mintesinot,
young prince of the roadway,
has become the 13 millionth
AIDS orphan,
a number so large the mind shuts down,
unable to process what this means:
one small child 13 million times,
alone and hungry,
with no parents and no dreams.

“Allah, Allah,” the chant continues,
prayers rising on the wafting smoke
into the atmosphere.
Hopefully, they will
find their way
straight to
Allah’s ear.

I wrote this poem in 2010, inspired by Melissa Fay Greene's There Is No Me Without You. This book tells the tale of Haregewoin Teferra's heroic efforts to save children orphaned by AIDS. Inspiring us to do what or large things we can, in the corners where we are, to make this world a better place. 

posted (early) for the Poetry Pantry at Poets United, where there are always wonderful offerings on Sunday morning.