Poem Poem

Other People’s Children

By Colin Greer
Published in Volume 24 Issue 3 | Comments 0   

For Other People’s Children 

Other people’s children 
You don’t know them 
You don’t know them 
…………………..But you owe them 

You can see them 
On the border 
Of disorder 
…………………..You can see them

Look up at the heavens 
You think that’s rain? 
You think that’s rain? 
Think again 
…………………..Think again

Other people’s children 
You don’t know them 
You don’t know them 
…………………..but you owe them

Who owns whose heartbeat?
Who owns whose breath? 
Who owns freedom? 
Who owns death? 
Who lives in a fortress? 
Who’s selling lives? 
Whose heart is broken 
Who’s bitten by flies?

Other people’s children 
You don’t know them 
…………………..You don’t know them

Look up at the heavens 
You think that’s rain? 
Think again 
…………………..Think again

Who owns the stories? 
Who’s telling the truth? 
Who has the answers?
Where is the proof? 
The truth is in people 
Singing out loud 
Calling for justice 
For everyone’s child 

Look up at the heavens
You think that’s rain? 
Think again 
…………………..Think again

Other people’s children
You don’t know them 
But you can love them Just
love them

Return to Kosmos Edition 24, Issue 3, Healing Wealth

About Colin Greer

Colin Greer is President of the New World Foundation. He has published several social science books. He was a founding editor of Social Policy Magazine and Change Magazine, and wrote a column for Parade Magazine for almost 20 years. His poetry has been published in Kosmos Quarterly, Tikkun, and Hanging Loose. His third poetry collection, If But My Gaze Could Heal, was recently published by Lantern.

Read more