Screams sound from their lungs
But few hear them.
They reach out for rescue
They plead for mercy
But few reach back
It is easier to do nothing
When those crying for help are faceless
Somehow
Less than human
Now some do see these people as persons
And attempt to aid their plight
But they will be shunned
And shackled every step of the way
Meanwhile
A society with willful blindness
Continues to walk by and ignore the strife
The afflicted are not worth their help
So inconvenient
As anything but a campaign slogan
The backwards morality
Seems unending
Until one day
The people of society look beside themselves
And see the faces they passed by
Looking back
Then they will feel the suffering
That the unwanted felt
They will reach out for help
To the new people of society
Who will pass them by
Because they see them
As less than human
—
Jonathan Francesco
This is such a poignant poem about humanity, injustice, and our societal cycle of failing to see the needs of our brothers and sisters who we pass by as “less than human.” It can be applied to so many topics, past and present: slavery, segregation, immigration, abortion, etc., and especially reminds me of the struggle of William Wilberforce to shatter the apathy of the British people and abolish their extensive slave trade. This poem also highlights the necessity of remembering Catholic Social Teaching, and living our lives in a way that never passes by “Christ in Disguise”. Special thanks to Jonathan Francesco for this marvelous and timely piece.