The Children

(a poem)

The children of Manchester
whose voices sang familiar songs
whose voices screamed with the throngs
whose voices were silenced

The children of Syria
whose names we don't know
whose names their friends shouted with glee
whose names their parents grieve

The children of Nigeria
whose lives were a promise
whose lives were full of opportunity
whose lives were interrupted

The children of our cities
whose dreams were imaginative
whose dreams were deep and wide
whose dreams were ended too early

These are all our children
who deserve a better tomorrow
who deserve a better today
who deserve a better now