Refugee

One does not tremble before a man she esteems Certainly not before the one she finds dignified No; it would be contrary to Mother Nature herself It is before a dangerous man that one trembles! And it is from a murderous man that one flees! There are times when storms rage and rivers swell Times, too, when earth quakes strike remorselessly Times when the sun bakes all around it wickedly And there are times when a conflagration occurs Rendering man, woman, child and beast rootless If one could control the winds and arrest the tsunami Many a stranded woman would not have left home If one could summon the rain clouds to donate a tear In regular fashion and without undue discrimination Even Darfur and Ethiopia and Arabia would rejoice Is she from Mars that you should call her alien? Is she a child of a beast that you should deny her? Did she choose to be born poor that you should shun her? Oh lucky children in Europe and America and elsewhere! Find in your golden hearts room for just one more refugee!