I am born today, the sun burns it's promise in my eyes;
Mama strikes me and I draw a breath and cry.
Above me a cloud softly tumbles through the sky;
I am glad to be alive. [ Lyrics from: http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/h/harry_chapin/the_shortest_story.html ]
It is my seventh day, I taste the hunger and I cry;
My brother and sister cling to Mama's side.
She squeezes her breast, but it has nothing to provide;
Someone weeps, I fall asleep.
It is twenty days today, Mama does not hold me anymore;
I open my mouth but I am too weak to cry.
Above me a bird slowly crawls across the sky;
Why is there nothing now to do but die?
This is a true story that happens daily in hungry parts of the world, where people contine to have babies they can't feed, and let them die a cruel, slow, lingering and painful death. I'm sure harry was moved by knowing this. It's a shame the message never got the attention it deserves. This is one of harry's lessor known works, but i think it's one of his more brilliant moments.