Her Humiliation Became Mine Poem by Abdul Samad

As she was pushed by the waiter, cast aside
To one corner of the hotel, her back to the wall
Roughly hit on the head, slapped on the neck
Her humiliation, her pain, her anguish, her suffering
Became mine, all of it, all at once, in that instant
I was that little girl, in rags who
Had just been harshly slapped, pushed, abused
And hurled to the ground

I looked over to her, bathed in shame
I wanted to get up and shift her to my seat
My seat, so that she would not sit on the dirty floor
In that position of subservience and inferiority

I tried to raise my voice, addressing the waiter
'Treat her more gently, you brute'
Nothing came out, my tongue was too shocked
To say anything, my mouth twisted and twirled
But no words came out then, none at all

The ice cream in my hands melted, as did my heart
She remained on the floor, sobbing silently
Her tears become mine, her misery became mine
Oh Lord, her humiliation became mine