I saw them in our homes
Creating, building… quietly, stoically...
Up and down the stairs they would go,
poor and always working
Glancing at us, curiously-
wondering about us as much as I wondered about them
An acceptance of this intrusion was unspoken-
both by them, as well as by us
We would eventually live in these homes
These homes that were built by their hands
And the earlier acceptance of co-existence will forever vanish
And they will be kept out of our homes, our societies
Cast away on account of being poor
Cast away on grounds of suspicion
And yet, we will live in those homes,
which wouldn’t have existed were it not for them
We will be sheltered,
while those who built our shelters, will be homeless
We will be protected,
while those who created our protection, will have none
We will prosper and be comfortable,
while those who were instrumental in creating that environment,
will be cold, wet & starving
We will all have to answer for this someday
And when that day comes,
I hope more mercy is shown to us,
than we choose to show to those who need it today.
-- Margaret
