Anjum Ismail

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I am a labourer, not a liabilityI am just a labourer. A helper, not helpless I am also human. Your skyscrapers stand on our slaughtered slums. The walls of your dream homes are coloured in our sweat. Yes, I am a nationalist, a champion of growth. This metro rail That sliding highway – My toil, my blood is everywhereYes, I am self-reliant I sell sabzi in a cart Momos on the footpath I clean the dirt inside your homes And outside too – I go down your toxic drainsI sell my right to live Yes, I am poor I sell my sweat You see me these days – those hordes on the street I run hither thither beaten broken destroyed dying hungry thirsty restless on the roads that lead nowhere You kick my belly and break my fragile sense of selfYou are benevolent people. You allowed us to go home You are generous people You allowed us to die You are so kind When we said we would leave you stopped the buses We took to the railway tracks You let the engines run over us Why did you do that? Maybe because I am poorYou are sensitive I know You are watching the scenes Watching us walk With melted sun on the roads Walking in thousands You must pity us You must feel bad Your eyes must be sad Thinking of tomorrowsBut do not worry. I am a labourer Not a liability I am a human being just poor. Trust me, when things get back to normal I will come back. How would you progress if I didn&#39;t come? How would the cities expand? How would the country run like a bullet train? Of course I’ll come. I will make roads I will make bridges I will make buildings tall I will take the country forward with these very hands. I was a labourer I am a labourer and labourer I shall remain.Audio: Sudhanva Deshpande is an actor and director with Jana Natya Manch, and an editor with LeftWord Books.

Labani Jangi

I am a labourer, not a liability

আমি শ্রমিক, নই ফ্যালনা

कामगार आहे मी, कुणावर भार नाही!

હું મજૂર છું, લાચાર નહીં.

நான் ஒரு தொழிலாளி, சுமை அல்ல

ମୁଁ ଜଣେ ଶ୍ରମିକ, ଏକ ଦାୟିତ୍ୱ ନୁହେଁ

مزدور ہوں میں، مجبور نہیں

मज़दूर हूं मैं, मजबूर नहीं

Mohali

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I am a labourer, not a liability

The mass exodus of millions of migrant labourers following the March 25 lockdown continues to fire the imagination of poets and painters. This poem rebukes our many hypocrisies in dealing with workers

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