Regrets

I saw a homeless man and felt sorry for a while,

I wished to help him without coin, I wished to help him smile

but I just turned and went my way, the way in which I came,

ignoring that inside of me that felt that it should stay.

Another time, while in a store a saw a little lad

And with him was a towering man assumed to be his dad

I saw the boy, on accident, bump over a display

and receive a quite fierce lashing as he reached a hand this way

I turn away this time but swore I never shall again

permit such atrocities befall these whom I should befriend

A man in need of comfort, a boy facing abuse

I try to sleep at night but find there really is no use

I let befall what should not be and haven't changed it yet

Things which haunt me every night, I live with these regrets