DON'T TALK TO STRANGERS

I was walking in the newly fallen snow

covering the cold, brown earth

on the early March morning,

with Simak's City open in my hands,

when the children passed me

on their way to the school,

and one of them said "Hi."

Taken back, I just made

a feeble "Hello."

What an odd thing, for children

in a time like ours,

to say such a thing to a stranger.

What a dangerous thing for children

in a time like ours

to say such a thing to a stranger!

Don't they know,

haven't they parents said -

don't their parents know! -

how dangerous is to say "Hi"

for a stranger

in a time like ours?

Eyes to the ground,

in the newly fallen snow

covering the cold, brown earth

of early March morning,

without a word to strangers,

no answers if they ask,

no - run if they stop and speak

- that is the way for children

to act in a time like ours...

Because there are bastards

all around the children,

hiding inside the hides

of people looking normal

in a time like ours.

13.03.2020