I saw a brown boy in Mexico
couldn't have been more than eight years old
he was wearing jean overalls, face covered in ash
using an axe to chop up the wood of his burned down home
helping his father make room to build anew

we said we're giving away clothes
can you take us to the center
of this shantytown
he said sorry no, I have to work

so his smiling little sister waved to her mom
and said cheerfully, I can give you directions
as she sat next to Sister Jodi in the van and led the brigade
I looked out the back window and saw that little man
still focused,
chopping.