Boot polish

boot polish!
i heard a cry,
tore my eyes away from the landscape,
my eyes rivoted onto a little boy,
he looked of four but may have been three,

a dirty shirt wrapped around his body,
he knelt upon the carriage floor,
pointing at my boots he looked up with inquiring eyes,
boot polish! he said again

giving a slight nod i handed my boots to him,
with a torn rag and a dollop of polish,he set to work
in a while, the boots shone as good as new
i handed him his'char rupiayah',he tucked them into his shirt

getting down at the next stop,
i saw the little boy get down as well,
swiflty he ran to another boy,
together they marched up to a stall,

handing over the pay, they shared a 'samosa'
he couldnt hide his glee, as he tucked into his meal for the day,
the whistle sounded,he ran into the train,
i heard the same cry again,
boot polish!