The Small Tests of Caring - Nov 29 2022

 

The Small Tests of Caring

Nov 29 2022

I wonder how righteous I'd have been

when the Nazis came for my neighbour.

How brave

when the gunman entered the building

and began to kill;

the wild aim,

the glazed look in his eyes

   —   “his”, because it's always a him,

and the hot smoking barrel

of his military weapon.

How kind

when the old man fell,

and the others in line

found themselves paralyzed

or simply looked away.

We are all heroes

when we hear the stories

and imagine ourselves.

But I know

when faced with the the small tests of caring

I've mostly failed.

So at best

if not a collaborator

then the kind who keeps his head down,

goes about his business,

keeps opinions to himself.

Who runs

for self-preservation,

waits for 911.

And the brave ones

who never see themselves as such,

but in the moment

find their inner hero

and act.

Never thought about it, they say,

just reacted.

Whom you wouldn't know

to look at.

Who were put to the test

so unexpectedly,

and so brilliantly passed.