Sonali Shah - Peace or Poverty

Their skin soaks up the heat
Leaving it as black as the midnight sky,
Their eyes wide, white, pleading
Begging to the passersby.
They litter the street
Half naked bodies,
Red and colouring their feet
Searching for a entrance
A door out of the circle of poverty.

Poverty means destruction
Destruction means fear
Behind locked doors we sit in early evening
Too scared to see a black face
Terrified of black feet crossing the threshold.
But why be fearful of your slaves,
Those you whip and beat
Treating like the dirt from the doormat
Where you wipe your feet.

Role diversity causes poverty
Poverty destroys peace
But peace minus poverty
Means Equality should increase.

Sonali Shah

http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/peace-or-poverty/