I Watch

Saw a man and woman fighting on the street.
I stood a bit apart and watched them a long time.
The man turned to me and cursed me out, told me
to mind my own business and get away from their
private discussion.

It was my business, for I am a part of humanity.
What I did would give a message to this broken soul.
A bully will not harm someone in front of a witness.
I stayed back, silent and watchful as he ranted.
Soon he left the woman standing alone.

She came over and angrily asked me why I didn't
"do" something and I told her I had done something.
I worked out a system for these situations years ago.
Stand quietly, do not speak, watch without approaching.
No one can fault you if you are merely standing there.

I stood there for her because nobody stood for me when
I was dragged down a street by my hair, when I was beaten
almost to death in a grocery parking lot...no one did anything.
All had cell phones, but they let him savage me... let him.
I will not let a man beat a woman the way I was beaten.

I will not walk on by pretending I didn't see anything.
My presence will make a difference...your presence can too.
If someone had made a call, my ribs would not have been broken; I would not have been traumatized irreparably,
to spend the rest of my life a crippled, wounded old woman.