Home is where the heart is

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