What Shall I Do?
Shall I watch you
drink the Kool-aid
when the nectar’s
free for all
Shall I watch you
peer into the abyss
when I can see
you’ll surely fall
Shall I watch you
pour water in your tank
when I’m certain
it’ll make you stall
Shall I watch you
attempt to escape
when there’s danger
beyond the wall
Or shall I warn you?
Share this:
It is far too easy to watch another destroy him/herself, rather than taking the time to give a simple warning.
The hard part is when you’ve stepped out and given a warning, but they refuse to listen.
…but at least you have given the warning. If the watchman sees an army coming and sounds the trumpet, even though the city does not respond, the watchman is not held responsible. But if the watchman does not sound the trumpet, the city will still fall, but the blood of the city will be on his hands (OK, that’s a horrid paraphrase, but I hope you catch what I’m trying to say)
ah…. ever the question am I my brother’s keeper. Free will is such a burden.
Sigh… Not easy decision
Ah.. the humans and not the
horses.. can sometimes
never know the
water of
life
led to that
water or NoT..
as they simply
cannot feel the
refreshing cool
of satisfaction
IN unconditional
waters of LOVE..
And a CHANGE OF
HEaRT FELT CULTURE
And a ‘religion’ of Unconditional
LOVE AS WHOLE.. IS THE ONLY
MEDICINE FOR THAT.. REGARDLESS
OF THE HORSE ‘WHO SPEAKS’ ‘JUST’ THAT..:)
This was a moving piece Linda! I am told there is no clear answer here – I get that a lot from my parents.
A universal question… I’d go with the instinct.
Whenever I feel like saying something, I trust my intuition and say it, even when I know for sure it’ll be unwelcome, because I can’t help feel that it needs to be said anyway.
But that’s just me (and at times I did pay for it in some way or other).
Some mistakes are not terminal, and we can learn from them. On the whole, it makes sense to warn.
When our children are grown it is mostly watching…. the easy bit is until about 16 if you are lucky. Earlier if not.
It’s interesting that several people thought of their kids and that is not at all who I had in mind when I wrote this.
Poems speak in their own voice. Interesting sometimes to hear what we did not mean to write.
Now that is a good question…to watch or to warn. Sigh, I wonder this often with my grandchildren.
Intriguing questions ~ I will, if my help is needed or requested ~
Knowing when to step in or not is always a tough one….I really like the rhythm in your poem.
Tis often difficult to know what to do…decisions decisions… (Too) honest opinions, given with the best of intentions and especially to young folk are often resented. I speak my truth softly when the time is right.
Anna :o]
Honesty, candor, advice is too often not warmly received. I only offer it when it is asked for.
Yes, but it’s hard when the person drinking the Kool-aid is someone you love.
What can we do, is something I often ask, especially when being led by monstrous Pied Pipers who supply the Kool Aid. Very thought provoking.
Oh. That “or shall I warn you?” hits you. I wonder. A thought-provoking write.
-HA
I almost made that last line into the first line of a final stanza, but decided it needed to stand alone. Peace, Linda
Oh I wonder should we care, is there a limit to what we should do? The life is full of borders of responsibilities…