A band of three boys
Scruffy and shoeless
Brown hair and unwashed clothes
With white dirty plastic bags
Slung on their shoulders
Passed me by, on a mission
The tallest led
As they walked on the tracks
The youngest, the happy one
Skipped cheerfully as he followed
A bearded man suddenly accosted them
Towering he stood as he glared
“Get away from here’ it seemed he said
The boys backed up, unsure
An exchange of angry words
The wrinkled hands of the bearded man
And an almost evil look on his face threatening
The leader then jumped to another track
Soon followed by the other two
The youngest one still skipping, cheerful again.
The bearded man now content
Went his way, bending to pick up plastic and paper
As did the band of three boys
Bending like in a dance, in harmony
Walking away from the bearded man
And I sitting inside an unmoving train
In the comfort of the AC compartment
Saw with wonder the war which almost ensued
Over plastic packets and garbage
That we travelers thoughtlessly dispose.