The veils we carry

Another day, same routine

Preset tasks, preset time

Must groom, must clean

Masters must be pleased

In lieu of cash or kind…

To survive another day, another week

Or a month at most

To earn the bread

And a roof above

To earn to groom

And continue

Daily battles with doom.

Walk into the chamber

Follow orders

Bend backwards, forwards

Lie prone, supine or sit

…Whatever the master likes

Must continue to bid

Without a sigh

Lips contorted in a permanent smile.

Day ends

Home beckons

Lonely, broken

Or back to children

Or family or clan

Either way, to mend the wounds

Eat, feed and rest again.

To reaffirm belief in life…

In hopes… in dreams of justice too

To another day, ahead we look.

Isn’t it easy to prostitute

Body or the sparkling soul?

Morality – a delusional veil

To segregate and celebrate

Your holy grail

From my daily toil.

Parvez
(Jan. 18, 2014)

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