Hopscotch

Taking a short cut down an alley, I saw a gleam of sunshine, It had dried the pavements so children could chalk hopscotch, Small children to much older children all joined in together, Throwing their stones into the right boxes so they could play. How sweet it was to hear such happy laughter see bright cheeks, The freshness of true innocence that would put adults to shame, Running in this dark little alley way, the paving was cracked, But they were all so very happy as they didn't know any better. They are noisy and this time we will let it go and not complain, To see so much joy in squalid surroundings makes a tear well up Wearing hand-me-down clothes so thin ragged so badly neglected From now if something petty annoys me I will think of hopscotch.