Street kid lullaby

STREET KID LULLABY

Sleep sweet child sleep
On the hard, cold concrete
Of a towering, unfeeling reality
Let the morning fumes wash your face
And the noon dust be your bath water
Let the plastic leaves of the steel twigs
Be your nourishment, sweet child
So sleep, street child sleep.

Sleep, sweet child, sleep
For your mother, barely fourteen,
Will soon be back from the night party
She went courting the city councilor
The one who drives a flagged Benz by day
And plumy prostitutes by night
She'll soon be baby, back
With lots of bread and lots of sweets
So sleep, street child, sleep.

Sleep, sweet child, sleep
See not the sharp reflections
On shop windows and fleeting cars
Forget the shame and embarrassment
Of your naked unreality
Forget your ten cent dignity
Child of the gutter,
Just sleep, street child, sleep.

Sleep, sweet child, sleep
Save your strength for tomorrow's war
With drunken men and hungry mongrels
For when hyena sits on judgment throne
Expect no mercy, meek lamb
You are a louse, soon they'll crack you
So sleep, street child sleep.

Sleep, sweet child, sleep
In your silent sighs, dream
Of happy times you'll never see
Dream of Mother Teresa
Dream of charitable brothers
Dream of peace .and plenty
Dream, my lovely one, dream
Oh sleep, street child, sleep.