Builders

I saw them tearing a building down,

A gang of men in a busy town.

With a ‘yo heave ho’ and a lusty yell,

They swung a beam and the sidewall fell.

I asked the foreman if these men were as skilled

As those he would hire if he were to build.

He laughed and said, “Oh, no indeed,

Common labor is all I need,

For they can wreck in a day or two,

What builders have taken years to do.”

So I asked myself, as I went my way,

Which of these roles am I to play?

Am I the builder, who works with care,

Measuring life by the rule and square;

Or am I the wrecker who walks the town,

Content in the role of tearing down?

I’ve made my decision; I’ll start today,

I’ll be a builder in every way!