Read Poem: Around the block, by Lamia Firasta

It’s Friday and I’m passing the station

But

Right above the station steps

Lies a young man standing

Most likely in his twenties

Trying to run away from life

Contemplating the feeble jump.

Only a few people notice

One lady says ‘you don’t wanna do this’

In an attempt to comfort him

And I think

There’s so much to live for then just this one jump

100 metres down

But then

Right around the corner

There’s some people in blue vests

Striking up a conversation

About how some girls don’t have access to education

But my money can help

And my blood boils

It curdles

I think

Theres a young man going to commit suicide and

only five people noticed

Yet 20 people in blue vests picket for education in third world countries

I guess I should donate all my money to this cause so that will fix one problem

But what about that boy who’s going to jump right around the corner

just ignore him ?

we’re too focused on changing the world

so he’s irrelevant

Making this big change in far away places

Helping people we don’t even know

But what about our own?

No one realizes

hat if change is right around the block

But maybe just maybe a revolution is just waiting to happen

If we stop that boy from falling

What if?