It Bothered Me Poem by Phyllis Strong

I saw a surveillance video
From a camera mounted on a public bus;
Two guys were having an augment,
But only one really wanted to fuss.

The evil guy continued to fuss.
He didn’t even know the good guys name;
He fussed and fussed and made fun,
To him it was like a game.

The good guy looked as if he wanted to leave,
That he could not believe this day;
But when he stood, to exit the bus.
The evil guy stood in his way.

The evil guy took out a knife;
That was concealed in his pocket.
All the passengers ran off the bus;
So fast, just like a rocket.

The evil guy stabbed and stabbed again
Till the good guy was on the floor.
Then he turned with haste, not looking back;
And quickly went out the door.

I couldn’t sleep for nights to come;
That video really bothered me,
I didn’t understand how the evil guy
Could attack a stranger so brutality.

That video extremely bothered me,
It made my heart so sad.
The evil guy didn’t even know the man;
If he was a husband, brother or dad.

Yes, the good guy did survive,
It was only by God’s grace.
I wonder why no one helped;
Just ran at such fast pace.

And so I ask the question today,
Not just to you, also to me.
If we were on that bus, that day
Would we had helped, or turned to flee?


Copyright © 2009 by-Phyllis Strong