A CHANCE

 

            EVERY child has a spark

            EVERY child has a smile   . . . and a hurt   . . . and a CHANCE.

            I am sad     I am lonely     and hungry      and angry     (and poor)

            . . . and sometimes I feel unclean.

          UNFAIR!

            Sometimes. . . in the dark     or in a corner     or in my bed

            I cry.

            Sometimes. . . I just HAVE to cry.

          UNFAIR!

            In school. . . I’m cool.     I’m tough.     I’m trouble.

            In school. . . I still cry     but my tears stay inside.

          UNFAIR!

            And in school     And out of school     ALL MY LIFE

            I’ll stay sad     and lonely     and hungry     and angry     (and poor)

            and sometimes feel unclean. . .

          UNFAIR?

            I’ll stay like this UNTIL (or so my teachers sometimes say)

            Until I learn. . .   learn to feel. . .   learn to KNOW

            NOT every child will succeed,

            But EVERY child has a spark

            and EVERY child has a smile   . . . and a hurt   . . . and a CHANCE.

          I have a CHANCE.