I saw a woman with three little kids,
she was across the store,
holding a cardboard poster.
She was hungry and needed help.
I saw a man, with only one leg.
He was a veteran who served in the war.
He was disabled and needed help.
I saw a woman who was crossing the street.
No car was stopping for her.
I saw a man who could not read.
He asked if anyone could help him
and everyone even me, said no.
I heard a shooting but it didn’t involve me,
so I said nothing and kept walking.
I saw a little girl crying and for her
I raised hell and more.
Because she was my sister,
it made no difference at all,
so I’m back to being a bystander
because that’s what they wished,
that I had kept quiet about all this kind of events,
just how they had thought me, but I refused
and now they blame me for talking.
-Maricela Rocha