TWO DIFFERENT WORLDS

LIVING IN TWO DIFFERENT WORLDSHe sits on his bed
Of wooden planks
Balancing upon piles
Of bricks

His black eyes
Sunk into a tiny skull
Dull pools, which hold
A lifetime of pain

Stick-like arms
Lie across his
swollen stomach
His breathing is shallow

He is too weak to move
Nine years old,
And slowly dying
Because he does not have
Enough to eat

He sits on a padded chair.
Chubby fingers thumping
At the computer keyboard
In one corner of his bedroom

His tiny eyes, almost
disappearing
Into his round face
Glazed by the long hours
Of staring at the screen

A plump stomach bulges out
From beneath his T-shirt
His breathing is heavy.
He is too tired to play outside

Nine years old
And slowly dying
Because he has
Too much to eat.

Two boys
Two countries
Same world.