COMPASSIONLESS

 

When I saw the famine victims of Ethiopia

I said I felt no sympathy for their plight

Flies busy around eyes nose and mouth

I said I felt nothing certainly not contrite

Why did they still have babes at the breast?

Making babies after four years of famine

They could make babies but not find food

Suffering in ways I could not imagine

I refused to be affected by the images

When I saw aids sufferers on television

I was Angry at the emotional blackmail

I said that my heart felt no compassion

 

When I saw the famine victims of Ethiopia

I said I felt no sympathy for their plight

Flies busy around eyes nose and mouth

I said I felt nothing certainly not contrite

Why did they still have babes at the breast?

Making babies with lesions on the skin

They could make babies despite illness

Suffering in ways I could not imagine

I refused to be affected by the images

When I saw aids sufferers on television

I was Angry at the emotional blackmail

I said that my heart felt no compassion

 

When I see the suffering in the world

I feel helplessness for their awful plight

Flies busy around eyes nose and mouth

Because they had no strength left to fight

Of course, they still had babes at the breast

Because making babies is just life continuing

They could still make babies despite all

Suffering in ways beyond my imagining

It’s impossible not to be affected by images

When I see the suffering on television

Despite the cruel emotional blackmail

Of course, my heart feels compassion