What do they say to my children?
once the doors are closed
and the bell rings,
and I leave
to cook and clean
I come back at noon
with a hot lunch
and wait patiently
listening
to words I understand
yet I cannot speak in,
or scream in
even when I want to
so I nod
and smile and they smile back
some of them look like me
and I wonder
do they step in
when my children hurt
do they fight or
even speak up, or walk away
when people laugh
at my child's ignorance
or habits
or the smell of curry on his jacket?
I wonder who speaks f
or my child when I am not there
From school back home,
I remember the sting
on my hand from the cane
but here,
they say they don't hit children
so that is good, yeah?
yet I see the light go
from my child's eyes
every year, far away
and I know
but cannot ask
does she speak, I wonder,
the one who looks like me
or the one with the kind eyes
or is se also silenced,
for different reasons:
of pay,
or pain
or for friendship
What do they say to my children I wonder
About them
and about me
what do they say
about my children,
I wonder
What do they say about yours?
Do you wonder too, my sister?
Confused mother, sister, aunt, teacher, Master's Candidate, Citizen of the World
