A Summer Uneven

Sunshine laughs on streets so wide,

But some small feet have none to ride.

Ice cream trucks sing songs so sweet,

While empty hands miss every treat.

Backyards bloom with splash and play,

Yet some must work through every day.

No suitcase packed, no trips to go,

Just city heat and hunger’s glow.

Libraries cool, but shoes worn thin

Too shy to ask, too proud to grin.

Playgrounds echo with delight,

While others sleep with dreams held tight.

No campfires lit, no tents, no streams,

Just borrowed books and quiet dreams.

Their summer breaks feel long and bare,

While others chase the open air.

A skipping rope, a cracked old ball

Some find joy with none at all.

But still, a smile, a game, a song,

A will to hope, to carry on.

So let us look, and let us see

The silent need, the dignity.

And as the season warms the sky,

Let kindness be the reason why.