look at the dark subdued eyes
and grubby faces of three children
not a trace of a smile between them
pretty little girls who work at
the cannery shucking oysters from
shells prised open with knives
outside the factory gates
the year is 1911, the photographer
harvests hardship in monochrome
stark poverty stares back
lives drained in the same way the
photographic image is devoid of colour
smock dresses torn filthy and patched
ill fitting laced boots yet it’s their hands
those calloused little hands
wrapped in bandages, knotted ties
round small gashed fingers
that hurt and cry out most of all