Slums Poem by Nosheen Irfan

Slums

Rating: 5.0


A lane of shabby homes
Unfit for any breathing soul
Except these little urchins
Playing in the garbage dumps
Immune to the stench of rotten fruit
And the drain running along the street

Sun-browned to ugliness
Visible from miles away
Bodies unbathed since long
Oozing an odour strong
These people live in squalor
Their eyes closed to filth
Their senses untroubled
By the swarms of flies

A spot on the city's glory
These slums exist, killing aesthetics
The surviving monuments
Of poverty
Unwiped by modernization
Homes to dehumanized humanity
They shelter the paltry.

Monday, February 29, 2016
Topic(s) of this poem: poverty
COMMENTS OF THE POEM
Valsa George 29 February 2016

These slums exist, killing aesthetics The surviving monuments Of poverty Unwiped by modernization.......................... It is so sad that such a great divide exists between man and man! While some live wallowing in wealth and luxury, others are steeped in poverty and filth! At least we should have a thought for them and be able to think that in the comforts we enjoy, they too have at least a small share. You have drawn a very realistic picture of the slum dwellers!

1 0 Reply
Nosheen Irfan 29 February 2016

Thank you Valsa ma'am for your very thought-provoking comments.

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Souren Mondal 29 February 2016

'The surviving monuments Of poverty Unwiped by modernization Homes to dehumanized humanity They shelter the paltry.' Kind of unbelievable the way the people in the 'slums' are treated.. No health or financial aids, no respect or care.. And then when some big promoter or someone turns up with the blueprint for a project they are thrown away like 'garbage'... I worked with a NGO for a while, and we went to a slum in Kolkata.. It was almost surreal to be in a slum and then look upwards and see a few big multistorey buildings out there... For me, people living in slums are more humane than the Corporates.. Thanks for sharing Nosheen.. A very poignant write.

1 0 Reply
Nosheen Irfan 29 February 2016

Thank you Souren. You inspire me to write socially driven poetry. It's nice to know you worked with an NGO. You have the makings of a social activist n of course you are an amazing poet.

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Barry Middleton 29 February 2016

Our slums in America look better but are equal in hopelessness. Your poem is a good image of tragedy personified.

1 0 Reply
Dr Dillip K Swain 10 March 2021

Beauty spot... wonderful. A beautiful poem

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Akhtar Jawad 28 July 2016

A very touchy poem! The question arises why it's so? What's its remedy? When there is a God who is supreme it should not happen.

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Saadat Tahir 16 July 2016

the modern city has its eye sores... whether it is Karachi, Manila, Rio or NY... one is sure to come across these sad corners of a forgotten tribe called the poor and the dispossessed. i heart felt portrayal of these lost lands and this very important contemporary issue. nice writing liked

1 0 Reply
Unnikrishnan E S 23 June 2016

Nosheen, Every human being, especially every child would like to show-case her/his house before the world. So it not out of choice that people live in slums. It is sheer helplessness. And you have been able to bring out this in th poem in most forceful words. Good.

1 0 Reply

A perfect description of slum life.Your observation of life is remarkable 10

1 0 Reply
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Nosheen Irfan

Nosheen Irfan

Lahore, Pakistan
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