AN ODE TO CONSTRUCTION WORKERS (NKP04)

By Adya Agarwal Gupta

In the day, the bulldozer sounds
Again and again, crushing the ground
I groan, annoyed as ever
If only I had realized earlier, then groan would I have ever?

I watch, I hear, I see them strive
They start bright and early and go beyond five
They merely blend into the noise
No one notices them, they are just a lost voice

High up in the air,
Closer to the sun than ever
Little safety measures by their side
Day after day, their duties they abide

Walking past them, I see sweat drip down
Yet, on their faces is a look of hope, not a frown
How do they do it?
I think, I wonder

What binds them to this harsh life?
How on earth do they survive?
With only a day of rest in their gist
To sleep or catch up on life they have missed

In their own country, no job is to be found
They leave the familiarity of their home ground
They come to a new world, with people they barely know
Some from their own village and some not so

These forgotten world changers
They sleep with strangers,
In claustrophobic bunks piled up high
So many crammed into one room, it would make you cry

Huddled and bunched tight,
Barely sleeping through the night
Thinking, thinking, wide awake
Trying to cure their heartache

Every night, all they long
Is the warmth of their house, but they strive to be strong
Saving every single penny, with a high hope
That for going home, there may be a slight scope

Their families are waiting,
Biting their nails, their hopes abating
When will my son return home?
When again will his feet feel this loam?

I stand there watching them work
Not a single corner do they shirk
Why was I annoyed? I should instead be admiring their determination
The very people who sculpt an entire nation!

Such perseverance was never found
No matter how much I look around
So I say this with all my heart
May your troubles end and may you have a fresh start

We should in fact be in their debt
And God knows they need all the help they can get
For all they have done and continue to do
It is our responsibility to rid them of being blue

We have proper homes, toilets, malls and stalls
All thanks to the construction workers! Thanks to them all!
So next time you see them give them a smile
And remember, that’s all it takes to make someone’s day, once in a while.
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