(poems from my youth)
Doing Nothing.
As I looked at him brutally and mentally abusing her
I just stood there,
watching, thinking
but, doing nothing.
As I looked at the man
begging for money to eat,
I just stood there,
selfishly, unobservant,
doing nothing.
As I looked at them
unmercifully being thrashed,
I just stood there,
vacant, emotionless,
doing nothing, but thinking...
"It's not my problem"
until,
I was the one, in their shoes,
by myself, being hurt,
while others, stood there,
vacant, emotionless,
unabashed,
apathetic,
selfishly,
unobservant,
and
they did nothing to save me.
Mark Anthony Thomas
Copyrighted in 2000