Men at the Door
The men came to the door,
Some in uniform
More not.
The children crying, the mother too
What could anybody do?
The crowd was baying.
But for all the crying in the world
The rough men took down the thatch
And if they failed
Fire was put to it.
To the road the people went
Neighbour evicted if they took them in
So no one did
For want of a roof
A helping hand and food
By the road they died
Dying for a chance to live.
Today, men come to the door
Some in uniform
More not.
The children crying, the mother too
What can anybody do?
The crowd is baying.
But for all the crying in the world
The rough men drag them out
They rarely fail
House worth too much to burn.
To the road the people go
The neighbours wont be evicted: but few will take them in
Family and friends normally do
For want of a roof
A helping hand from the state
By their own hand they die
Life a living death.
Background:
No one is saying modern evictions are as bad as in the 19th century, horrific ones like the leveling of the village of Ballinamuck still make us shiver to this day. However, while people died trying to live back then, today they die by their own hand as they have nothing to live for.
Recently 5 farms were taken in Tipperary, within a fortnight three of the men of those families took their own lives.
At a time when officially the governement are promoting programs to reduce the suicide rate.