How many stand silent,
Watching as you quietly die?
How many stand silent,
Watching as you are abused?
One, a dozen, the whole world.
What if no one spoke for any of us?
Would you speak if the hand raised,
was raised against you and yours?
How many stand silent,
Knowing who deals death
Just beyond their door?
How many stand silent,
Knowing cruelty lives and thrives
Just beyond their door?
One, a dozen, the whole world.
What if no one looked at any of us?
Would you cry out or would you cower away,
if the cruelty was coming through your door?
How many stand silent,
Waiting for someone to speak?
How many stand silent,
Believing the lies, “I’ve changed”?
One, a dozen, the whole world.
What if we stopped believing them?
How many stand silent…
How many stand silent waiting for…
Just one person to say, “Stop! Enough!”?
How many stand silent…
How many stand silent waiting for…
Someone else to make the world change?
copyright Shanyn Silinski 2010
Posted for Real Toads today, social awareness and social issues. http://withrealtoads.blogspot.com/
Sunflower Poetry 
Deborah said,
October 4, 2011 at 3:43 pm
Powerful … and sadly very true.
shanyns said,
October 4, 2011 at 3:59 pm
Deborah – it is sadly true, but we can change it, one person at a time! Thanks for coming by.
Sherry Blue Sky said,
October 4, 2011 at 5:05 pm
This is brilliant – everyone waiting for the world to change, when we are the ones who must change it. Fantastic message in this poem!
shanyns said,
October 4, 2011 at 5:37 pm
Thanks Sherry! So good to see you here!
tigerbrite said,
October 4, 2011 at 5:50 pm
Well done. Strong message.
I have nominated you for the Versatile Blogger Award
http://planetcyberluz.com/2011/10/04/versatile-blogger-award/
shanyns said,
October 4, 2011 at 6:00 pm
Tigerbrite – thanks for the nomination, and for your comment. Glad you stopped by!
Pam Manners said,
October 4, 2011 at 5:54 pm
Wow…this is hauntingly beautiful. And sadly, so true. As someone who suffered abuse at the hands of others, this is particularly meaningful to me. I’d love to share this with others, Shanyn. I know so many others who would benefit from reading this. How would I go about doing this on my blog, obviously giving you all the credit?
Thank you so, so much!
Pam
shanyns said,
October 4, 2011 at 6:01 pm
Pam – it is good to see you here. We are both survivors and I’d be honoured to have you share the poem. I’ll email you!
Old Raven said,
October 5, 2011 at 1:22 am
Exceptionally well wrought! Been there done that. No one else can stop it but you. I could have been the poster child for battered women in 73. No one cares, no one can help. Only you (or, whomever you are writing about) … only the one involved. And that person can get out and they can change. And it does not matter if your life changes radically and you lose everything, for you will find your strength and you will become made anew. And then no one f*%^# with you, ever again.
shanyns said,
October 6, 2011 at 2:20 am
Old Raven – Thank you for sharing this with me, with us, and I whole heartedly agree with your standpoint!
Kerry O'Connor said,
October 5, 2011 at 6:18 am
You ask the fundamental question: How many stand silent…?
Sadly, too many find their lips sealed by atrocity – not because they don’t care, but because the enormity of the abuse is too much of an emotional burden. I agree with Old Raven, and applaud her standpoint.
shanyns said,
October 6, 2011 at 2:19 am
Thanks Kerry – for your comment and for joining me in applauding Old Raven!
Mike Patrick said,
October 6, 2011 at 10:39 pm
If one speaks out, that one can be silenced. When a thousand speak out, they are heard. There is strength in numbers. The oppressors have always known that.
shanyns said,
October 11, 2011 at 9:12 pm
Yes Mike, you are right, thanks for sharing and for coming by!
Poetry & Icecream said,
October 8, 2011 at 10:19 am
You have been nominated for The Versatile Blogger Award. It is always a pleasure reading your posts. Keep up the good work!
To accept the award, please go here for details http://normamartiri.wordpress.com/awards-publications/1891-2/
shanyns said,
October 11, 2011 at 9:11 pm
Thanks for coming by and for the nomination!
charlesmashburn said,
October 22, 2011 at 12:21 pm
This poem strikes a cord with me; I lived in a very abusive house when I was young. I recently visited the town I grew up in, and in talking to old friends about our childhoods, found that some of them had gone through the abusive horrors I had gone through. I was stunned to find this out, and the thought, “We just never know” crossed my mind.
Excellent message and poem, Shanyns!
shanyns said,
October 26, 2011 at 2:13 pm
Charles – thank you for sharing that, and I appreciate you being so open and I’m glad you found something in the poem. It is something that we find out later and wonder, how did we not know or think ‘I wasn’t the only one’.