Poem written 2002; published in Out On a Limb, an Anthology for Friends 2020
When we see the mother with five starving babies to feed, Do we call her five blessings a curse, Or just five mistakes she didn’t need? When we see the homeless man sleeping in the rain, Do we call his misfortune his problem, Or just a bum without a name? Do we ignore the little old lady struggling to make it safely home? Can we not slow up for a moment to show compassion, Or would we rather she hurried along? When we know about the child that gets bullied every day in school, Don’t snitch is what we tell him, So he suffers silently by that rule. Who cares about the man that can’t find a job? Should we convince him to sell drugs Or just watch his family starve? Do we care what the preacher says about paying God tithes? Or is it more important that we save for The newest fad gadget; That’s more important than saving lives. Do we care about the kid that lost his life the other night? Are we mourning the loss of a human Or the fact we missed the fight? Who cares about the black man in court, After the judge sentences him to life for a low level crime? Our ancestors fought to get out of chains, And its time to be heard and make a change. Who cares? I care. It’s time to make a change, And together—we can do it!
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