Do you hear them, the children?
They sob silently, as if they are afraid to be heard.
Desperation is laced into every cry they are forced to withhold
Quiet whimpers escaping without permission
Do you hear them, they cry even in the daylight?
Almost as if another morning is not a gift, but a load they must carry.
This reality that they are forced to accept, when they know better, things could be better.
-And what happens when they are done crying?
They laugh, empty laughter, for that is the one response they have left
Tears are not enough to quench the drought...
So they laugh
Laugh at those who oppress them
Laugh at those who claim to have freed the land for them
Laugh at those that make empty promises
Laugh at those that still have hope
Laugh at those that spit in their faces
Laugh at those that who see them as less than equals
Laugh at those that call their laughter madness
But they too cry, cry to a God
For hope that they do not know they have
Because they are used to the disappointment they lace their tears in laughter
Hoping, praying to be heard by some higher bieng
