The Sickness That Is Poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar

People will say,
They want better education...
And qualified teachers,
To teach their kids.
But are the ones who treat them,
Disrespectfully with it known to show...
The beginnings that inflict,
The sickness that is.

People defend their children's misdeeds.
To then disbelieve,
The increase of crime and violence...
Left witnessed by those victimized,
Living on streets...
Within their communities.
To then blame police for doing duties,
They've been called to protect the public peace.

People expect,
Their actions directly done to others...
Should not produce ill effects to leave.
Yet protest against,
The unrest their investment gets...
With a wish a unified effort will prevent,
The cycle of disturbances that stays to remain...
As if to give consent to each event they invent.

People will say,
They want better education...
And qualified teachers,
To teach their kids.
But are the ones who treat them,
Disrespectfully with it known to show...
The beginnings that inflict,
The sickness that is.

People expect,
Their actions directly done to others...
Should not produce ill effects to leave.
But left to leave is the sickness that is.
A sickness wished to permit it.
If not...
The reality of its afflicting existence,
Wouldn't be there to reflect 'their' disbeliefs.