2423 children
Homeless in Dublin, 2017.

I have seen them,
Heads bowed,
Bowed in shame,
As if they had done something wrong,
Walk around the breakfast queue
Leaning in to pick up a roll,
Their mother behind them,
Quietly moving them on.
No fun, no chatter, no imploring,
Doing their best to be invisible among the guests
Before leaving for school.
Forgotten?
Ireland 2017,
Is this to be our epitaph?

Fidelma Healy Eames ©