In the alleys where dreams decay,
Shadows of hunger dance in dismay.
Faces gaunt, eyes hollow and bare,
Whispers of hope dissolve in the air.

Children’s laughter turned into sighs,
Bellies ache under desolate skies.
Crumbs of bread, a feast for the soul,
In poverty’s grip, they lose control.

Nights are long, cold, and unkind,
Searching for solace, none they find.
In shanties and slums, life’s cruel refrain,
Poverty’s shadow, an unending chain.

Yet in the hearts that silently bleed,
Lies a resilience, a desperate need.
To break the chains, to find the light,
In shadows of despair, they continue their fight.