The Seeds we Sow

Is it justifiable?
That in these modern times,
We lock children up,
For committing basic crimes?

If your parents abused you,
And you didn’t have enough to eat,
And you were struggling,
To stand on your own two feet,

Wouldn’t you shoplift,
In a search for a better life?
Or steal a passing car,
If it meant you would end your strife?

Why should we lock up children?
Why should we crush their hope?
When they only turned to crime,
Because they couldn’t cope?

Shouldn’t we try to help them?
Shouldn’t we try to help them learn?
There is so much we can teach them,
And so much they could earn,

Rather than teaching teens,
That when they do something wrong,
Society gives up hope,
And writes them out of the song,

We should teach them that life’s good,
That it isn’t always unkind,
And even people who’ve gone off track,
Can live in peace of mind,

If you want someone to stop stealing,
You shouldn’t lock them away,
You should teach them how to get a job,
Teach them there’s always another way

If you want someone to stop taking drugs,
You shouldn’t tell them their bad,
You should give them the help they deserve,
And maybe for once they’ll be glad,

Then maybe for once they will smile,
And see that their not useless,
For to them life might seem
At times, truly hopeless,

So don’t punish a child for a crime they commit,
When it’s really society’s problem,
If their dad’s unemployed and their mum’s on drugs,
What’s going to stop them?

Don’t hurt people if you don’t understand,
And don’t criticise when you don’t know,
In this country, we have to remember,
That we reap the seeds we sow.