A poem about suffering and how little we really see. |
If you could look into the eyes of the suffering ones Your life would never be the same again. If you could look into the eyes of a dog Beaten by a man he so wanted to trust and see both the plea and the forgiveness; If you could really look. If you could look into the eyes of a chimpanzee Shut in a cold concrete box and fed drugs which might or might not Work for human beings; If you could really look. If you could look into the eyes of a whale, Her lifeblood pouring into the ocean So that a trivial piece of research might be done on her body before rich Japanese feast on her carcass; If you could really look. If you could look into the eyes of little children Who have watched their parents die from AIDS Or a neighbour’s machete. Or who are themselves slowly dying With bloated stomachs and no food; If you could really look. If you could look into those eyes you would see their plea, “Won’t someone help me please?” and you would see your own eyes looking back. And suddenly you would know that there is no other kingdom, there is no other country, there is no other person. You would know that there is only you And you are everywhere. You would know that tomorrow is far away You would know that there is only here and now And you would know that it is in your hands. If you could look – if you could really look. |