Years of Eight

Is this honor and respect,

Only shown among our own?

The natives came,

A minority to be overthrown.

They are wise and strong,

Yet viewed as a threat.

Assumptions won’t last,

Everyone knows our army lost the bet.

We build our walls and our doors,

They say the goal is to keep them out.

A tribe, a community who knows this land.

Surely it would be better to ask about?

These boxes become homes,

Built into greater towers.

The uprising of a city,

Only to those with currency and power.

They tell me to not worry about the people,

Given time they’ll understand why.

Forever reminded I’m only fourteen,

Shouldn’t ask and shouldn’t pry.

Every day I see people arrive on planes,

Showing their papers to get in.

Never did I see a paper for the minority,

Only fists of rage and the opposite of a grin.

Why the unkindness? Why the hatred?

We are all imposters, self-invited.

Something must be done; I can’t give it up.

This clan is so blind-sighted.

On the eighth month of the eighth year,

It all blew to smoke and rubble.

Again, the minority was blamed and faulted.

A mess we created, we're full of trouble.

If only we had asked,

or gotten to know the minority.

Who after the storm,

Stood in full authority.

Their leader approached our town,

A shattered mess of fabric and timber.

Wise and strong, each step with confidence and grace.

Yet my clan shot at him with the middle finger.

Such disgrace, such disrespect.

It is my people who I cannot stand with.

Our army was defeated long ago,

May the evil be destroyed, and the remainder sent to Grith.

He stood upon a rock and cried out to us all,

Their tribe surrounded our mess.

The leader blossomed a speech,

On why it is better to have less.

They have watched and waited,

With our oversized grandstand plans.

At that moment he invited us,

To bond with and be in peace, with their land.

Forever we'll be grateful to their tribe.

I use each day to educate.

Newcomers seeking refuge in this land,

May we never repeat those horrid years of eight.