I watched someone die today
Twasn’t for any reason
Other than some fuck’s
Version of play.
Blood danced upon the wall
Bones cracked to a hollow beat
Over who was who’s lay.
I probably could have done something
Yelled or stepped forth
But no…I walked away
Time has altered me
From when I was young
And my actions wouldn’t have been okay
Once I would have stopped the violence
Now I care little if it be not me
I watched someone die today.
A.B. Thomas mutter fluka 
When one lives around a lot of senseless violence…it becomes easy not to respond to what you see…the increased violence in world has made many hardened to death. An interesting verse.
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It says alot that we have become so desensitized to what goes around us, have we become more civilized or beastial in our thinking? thanks for the comment!
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I watched a man stand on a bridge for two hours while police tried to talk him down. During that time I wondered what made him come to this point and what could be done to talk him down or try to help him. The oddest thing throughout this was how the people just went about their daily routine, some would look up and never were fazed some even laughed and joked about it. Desensitized yes uncaring yes
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It scares me sometimes, the way humanity has adjusted itself to be outraged at something a world away yet to ignore what goes on as if the norm in our own backyard.
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This is harsh. Unfortunately, it’s an all too accurate portrait of our society.
Mine are here. http://razzamadazzle.wordpress.com/2010/11/14/bleeding-pain/ and http://razzamadazzle.wordpress.com/2010/11/13/echo/
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It makes me wonder how in our technologically driven social networking world how we managed to lose our humanity.
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reality stares us in the face.. and at most, we protect ourself first. nice write!
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An astute observation, thank you!
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Your poem came timely with what is happening around here in my country.. Recently, there are teenagers, who gets themselves into some gangs fight and one was slashed dead.. It just break my heart knowing there is so little that we can do to help.. Anyway, I found you through Monday Potluck, and here are my entires – different feelings for both..
http://www.intinglligent.com/2010/11/electrify.html
http://www.intinglligent.com/2010/09/just-tree.html
See you around.. 🙂
S.Pike
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Alas, far too many nations are seeing the same with today’s youth. See ya on the flipside!
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Very honest … if I am not the one that died, who cares? But how do you know you were not the one you was watching? This piece is very thought provoking. It begs to ask the question, do I still believe that all is one and one is all?
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That is the question isn’t it? Thank you for providing me fodder for a ponder that I had not thought of in that particular way….
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That’s a sad one for sure. But very powerfully written. Hope it’s not your true state of mind.
http://jessicasjapes.wordpress.com/2010/11/15/i-need-him/
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Sometimes I wonder the same very thing.
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Seems like more than one person died. Interesting piece.
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glad it sparked your interest!
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very emotive. well constructed thoughts on the cost of violence… nice job!
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Glad you liked it, its not an easy thing when you have to admit that you’ve should have done nothing but instead you just walked on by, it makes a peson less in their own eyes if no one elses.
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I think it’s not just a matter of being desensitized. I think for some, or maybe most, it’s cowardice. You witness somebody being killed, and your first instinct is to walk away so you won’t become part of it. If you step in, it’s like inviting danger. It’s not right, but it’s human nature. Human nature dictates that we not risk our lives if it’s not directly beneficial to us.
Your poem exposes a less-than-impressive trait in most, if not all, of us. That’s why I like it.
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So true, and I’m glad that you liked it despite, as you aptly put, its cowardice.
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Sometimes you can’t help but ignore what’s happening around. Happens with everyone all the time. A very honest poem.
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Thanks!
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Oh boy! Dark and honest!! It takes guts to even admit such cowardice/ignorance! Powerfully written, AB… very very nice!!
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Shucks, thanks!
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We do become numb to it when we are around it all the time. Part of the human condition. Unfortunate part.
Finely wrought poem. Thank you! Happy potluck.
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thank you and so far I’ve enjoyed every write I’ve read on the potluck!
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Einstein said it a long time ago, that our technology has stolen our humanity. Or something like that –I quote him in my blog piece Why I Broke Up With Facebook.
I love your insight here and the use of repetition and yes, it’s great to meet another Canadian poet online, eh? 😉
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I’ll have to check that out, thanks for readin’ my little scrawl
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