Who's going to sew that suit you are wearing?
Who's going to wash those buckloads of laundry you keep?
I saw her last week ...
Bright and early she came
She came to wash your clothes
Three children she has ...
Bread is a luxury for her
I saw her , i did
Washing all our laundry , it was cold out
I saw her get up , when you called her from your bed
A cup of tea , well certainly Madam
She served it , thinking of the clothes waiting outside
The big house , the big rooms , the ironing
She brought the tea , while you criticized
I saw her feel humiliated ,
I saw her silent
And i watched her go back outside
I went on down and offered a cup of tea
She said thankyou , while she held her aching back
I went on up , and put my books in my bag
She walks in with a rug , bends over to get to the corners
She has a cold , and a blocked nose
She thinks of her three children
She thinks of her illiteracy
She thinks of her husband who drinks like a fish
I move for her , and before i leave my heart aches for her
She looks at me smiling ,
She says , don't mess up
Don't be like me ,
And i wonder is she so bad ,
She fights for her children , she works to give them food
I close the door . . .
As i leave outside i see the jeans , red dress and yellow shirts
And as i leave i hear her calling from her bed , in that tone
That tone ...
When i came from school , you criticized some more
She did not finish ironing
You made her go home late ...
How much are her wages ?
Three hundred shillings , i see
How much is your perfume?
How much is your foundation?
The pied piper came and whistled a tune
To take their troubles away,
They all went out to the deep blue sea
Now i see that money , is truly evil
Because you all waited till the poor people drowned.
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