Friday, August 20, 2010

How Many Stand Silent?

How Many Stand Silent? 

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 slient,
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

10 comments:

  1. There is such power in this piece. And the call to be in the moment for those of us who can hear it is deafening.
    Thank you for this heart piece. The Olde Bagg

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  2. Shanyn, to repeat what Linda said, there is so much power in your words. Your passion to stop child abuse is so thrilling and healing. Thank you.

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  3. Very beautifully said . love your poetry
    Speaks volumes.

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  4. Linda, Thank you for your time in reading my words and for stopping by.

    Patricia, your words are such an encouragement to me. Thank you!

    Joy, glad to see you here and thank you for reading and commenting.

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  5. It is sad how many stand silent, just to "keep peace" when really there is no peace for the child being abused.

    This should bring a deafening silence to all who read, but aren't willing to speak out.

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  6. Pastor Sharon, you have made a really great point. Keeping 'the peace' when there is no peace for the abused is a point which should bring so many more voices to the place of being heard! Thank you so much for stopping by and commenting. Bright blessings...

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  7. There are so many burdens on the victims. Not only to endure the abuse, but then to be the ones to break the silence.

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  8. Lynn, you are right, but for me I found the burden of being silent and a victim was much heavier and unhealthy than being a survivor and learning to speak up and speak out. We each need to find our voice.

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  9. Such powerful and true words. Blessings and light to you. <3

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  10. I've suffered with their abuses from infancy to now. no one stepped up or stepped in to help. the pastors lied to me then shunned me when I persisted in asking for help. their silence and shunning increased after GOD superseded them and revealed the truth, exposing their lies and fears.

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