THE HAWKER

He wakes up early in the morning,

To the noise of the wife making his lunch,

And the children preparing to go to school,

There will be no breakfast today,

"The gods were not so kind,”

He explains to his children.

They haven’t been kind for over a month now

10 O’clock, the day is not promising,

"Buy some, buy some, everything only ten shillings”

He has only made twenty shillings commission,

And all that had to go to the city council.

"Buy some, buy some, good prize for everything!”

He sells two bunches as his stomach grumbles,

He thinks of his children

Thankful the school offers 10 o’clock porridge.

Evening comes and he decides to hit the traffic jams,

"Buy some, buy some, everything only ten shillings”

He calls out to the passing cars,

Wearing his look of confidence

"Confidence sells” his boss always says,

He calls out to the men his children admire,

In their flashy cars and suits,

Probably spent the whole day sitting in their offices,

He had dreams that ended like that too, he thinks,

But his reality is standing the whole day!

The gods send two more his way,

Then his blessings for the day are done!

9p.m. and he knows it’s time to do the dreadful,

A two mile walk back to his home

Makes it just in time to see his children hit the sacks,

"The children can share half a loaf tomorrow”

He tells his wife,

"The rest we save for rent”

His day’s earning was fifty shillings.

The gods had been kinder,

His wife had made the same on the streets

Hopefully, after the rent,

They will have enough for ¼ beef!

He drifts off to sleep,

Dreaming of his riches!