Learning Poor

Looking at the old poor lady,

 On the footpath near a market,

 A bun in her hand and a sack full of garbage,

 It was tonnes for her, seeing her age and condition.

She still worked to earn bread for herself,

That bun was a delicious meal for her,

 I saw kids mocking at her and giggling loud,

 She ignored as kids were unaware of the pain she dealt,

 She went through the length and dragged the sack,

 With no sorrow and pitiness in her eyes,

 I reached to give her some food,

 But she refused to exclaim " I am not poor ".

I asked why do you collect litter from the roads,

How do you earn, how do you survive,

She smiled and answered softly' I work to clean the streets', 

She lived on pennies given to her for swiping litter.

She was poor by wealth not by heart,

The old poor lady taught me a lesson,

Living for self and for others is not alike,

Her eyes were full of selflessness, showed no plight.