They're Not Like Us 
by Karen A. Romanko
 

They're not like us.

Oh, they look like us
and they sound like us
and they smell like us

But they're not like us.

Some of our kind think
we should treat them
the same, but not me.
Why should I worry
about their rights
and their safety
and their feelings

When they're not like us?

What about my
rights and feelings?
I'm out of work.
They take jobs away
from people like me.

And they're not like us.

All right, all right,
I'll tell you. I did it.
And I'd do it again.
They're not human.
What's another one
of them more or less?

They're not like us.

So I killed it.
Okay, I killed him.
You know, they're only
covered with human skin;
they're just metal
and circuits underneath.
How can you call it murder?
I know they can think
and they have hopes
and they feel pain
and they make contributions
and someone of our kind
always mourns their loss.
You can talk to me
about your fancy
philosophy of "existence."
You can talk to me
until you're blue in the face

But they're not like us.