Bernard Barclay Poet Narrative

I Spoke To a Cambodian

I spoke to a Cambodian,
Proud of his country he said
"I left the country because of poverty
half the country are wealthy

but the other half, live in poverty
we don't have benefits 
but people know how to make money
sometimes they work

for just two dollars per day
yet in a country like Australia
veterans sit on the streets 
the homeless out in the cold

your people he said 
have all the money and yet you waste it 
you waste it on drugs 
you waste it on alcohol

you waste it on gambling"
I came away from the conversation
feeling guilty for my country
he's right, with poverty they struggle

but they can stand proud 
if they don't do the drugs 
if they don't do the alcohol
how much violence comes from drinking

I thought, how is it, that a man 
can work, for just two dollars a day
our people fought for better wages, 
the world has a lot to learn

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