Confrontation

If you see someone doing something
That he shouldn’t do,
When’s the time to take a stand
And when is it taboo?

If you spy someone stealing,
Being rude or impolite,
When do you keep quiet?
When’s the time to pick a fight?

How ‘bout being privy to
A nasty verbal lashing?
Should you mind your business
Or step in and take a thrashing?

Witnessing infractions puts us
In a moral bind.
Once we’ve seen indecency,
It’s too late to rewind.

Then a quandary sucks us in,
And what is the decision?
Challenging those in the wrong
And risking their derision?

Or should we keep it all inside,
Pretend we didn’t see?
Let the perpetrator
Brandish impropriety?

Such dilemmas usually
Are silent and internal;
No one will the wiser be
If we choose the infernal.

We must live within ourselves
And though we may abhor
Surrendering a battle,
It may help us win the war.

Although it may be tempting
To jump in and quell the riot,
Sometimes the best action
Is to back off and be quiet.