like many stoutly claim
as members of some Christian faith
love our neighbors as we love ourselves
then why do we look down on those
of different creeds and cultures
skin color, clothes, or hats
suggest to keep them out by building walls,
suspect them of barbarian ways,
let them drown,
put them in camps,
build fences,
stop them at our borders,
prefer
in short
to have them elsewhere
maybe we should love ourselves much more
so we can better love
the tired, hungry, and the poor
who come to our shores and borders
in search of safety and shelter,
freedom, and human dignity
let us remain easy, and truer
to the spirit of our Liberty,
remembering our heritage
and that of our parents
and their parents
most likely immigrants from somewhere
looking for a better place
to have a life and rear their children
it helps to see our neighbors as our friends
rather than enemies
and love them like we love ourselves