The Smile Of Austerity

The smile of austerity.

looking through hollow eyes

into the darkness of your soul

and asking your humanity

the question it cannot answer

the stillness of its misery

surging through your veins

reaching your grieving heart

tainted and poisoned

asking the meaning of hope and love

asking why God made men

to be born crying, to live sighing and lie dying

why you were born to a rich father

and she to a starving widow

why you could sleep in comforts of the quilt

while winter slaps her numb naked feet

you glanced one glance and strolled ahead

to meet happy friends and celebrate the day

she slept that night in the lap of death

oblivion gently swept her away.