I saw her,
And I did nothing.

Sitting on a low wall down a dark ally
Just off the main high street:
Clearly high on something,
Eyes rolling back,
Speech slurring as she called out
In Spanish.
I hurried my family past her,
Glad to be back onto a sun-filled street,
A street with happy feet.

We’d taken a short cut,
She was on a detour, possibly a dead end.
I’m not proud.
I saw her and I did nothing.
How many more will fail her?
How many more will walk past,
Observing but not seeing?
My soul was coloured dark that day,
I looked the other way.

I rationalised:
I was a visitor,
I didn’t speak Spanish,
I was only there for the day,
There must be some organised help around,
I wanted to get back to the beach,
In short – I felt no compassion.
I saw her, and I did nothing
She called out to me,
Now, I feel guilty.

Copyright wordz2Go April 2017
Matthew 25:40 ‘Truly, I tell you, whatever you did for the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you do for me.’