The orphan street

By Hervé Pourcines

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To whom does the street belong?

To its neighbours, shopkeepers and the peddlers of folk songs?

Or to the cars, mini-buses and drivers that rush along?

To the pedestrians, children, mothers and workers that cross it all day long?

Or to the government, and why not Mao Zedong?

Whoever they are, they have little sense of Right or Wrong,

Whoever they are, their care and vision is not worth a pound!

If you ask me if among all these a parent can be found,

I would say that "fool around" and "mess around" fathered the holes in the ground,

But the awakening of our common will and a resolve so profound

Should help the street come around, safe and sound, on solid ground!

Now again, to whom does the street belong?

In the mirror, my friend, the answer you will find before long.

The writer is a management consultant for strategy and organisational efficiency.