I pretended I did not see

I PRETENDED I DID NOT SEE

By Evelyn Hayes,

Author of the Plague Series because their hearts were softened to accept the unacceptable.

I pretended I did not see.

I pretended I did not hear.

I pretended I did not know.

I pretended I wasn’t there.

I pretended I was not we.

And I saw the bullying, the slandering, the intimidating, the vicious thuggery-

So smug and cruel

Against the rules.

I pretended it wasn’t so bad.

I pretended there was some glad.

I pretended they were right.

I pretended majority means truth -so what if they are uncouth!

And I saw the ruthlessness, the abusiveness, the comradery against their ridiculed.

Shame, I wasn’t a fool:

There was a duel against righteousness.

I pretended as their brazenness got more evil, inconceivable, more provocative, more distasteful, less lawful.

I pretended I was not responsible.

I pretended I was not irresponsible.

I pretended I was innocent; Just a bystander

And I saw the sadness from their madness

And I saw the tears from the jeering, jabbing, jabbering, damaging demented actions.

And I saw no smiles nor gladness, just stress and strain, loneliness, loss,

from such cruelty without restraint.

And when I thought, “So Shameful” It was too late.

The pain had been too great.

It was too late.

Because of the meanness of those ravaging against correctness,

a royalty for such a gang created such dejectedness

And I reflected: I could have interfered

And there would have been another fate

A better act than hate.

But I had failed to react

And I cried, tried to hide that I could have done something.

I could have been a righteous friend

And not let there be such an end to innocence, uniqueness, blessedness, dreams so grand.

I could have stopped the recklessness, the offensive. oppressive. divisiveness of a misguided majority

riding on the power of disempowerment for an unheavenly stake.

If only I had done what I could, what I should have done

Against what I saw, heard, witnessed, knew…

I pretended and now I know I am guilty too.

I would have made a difference if not pretending indifference.

I pretended, but I was aware

And I cared but did nothing

And the victim is now nothing, is no more. Is no more.

I failed the test of reaction, action.

I did not give support. I did not retort. I did not report the crime.

I did not fight for right.

I did not make an alliance against noncompliance, violence, wrong.

I failed the test.

Will I be next?