People Watching

Now, there's a woman who holds her head high,
with a heart full of pride and dreams big as the sky.

Look here at this man, he has a kind heart-
you can see it in his eyes, right from the start.
Though he might cause hurt feelings in his business dealings...
Business is business; He's harsh because he has to be,
but he does great deeds that set him free.

See that guy? He's no slacker-
There's something there beneath the rough demeanor
and hair lacquer...
He's unsure of what he wants,
and therefore endures the taunts
of his peers;
He takes a quick gulp of shame to wash down his fears.

How sweet! Look at that gorgeous little boy
as he plays with his favorite toy-
but did anyone notice that tear on his cheek?
He cries because he is unable to speak-
For children are to be seen and not heard,
so he stares through the trees toward a lonely little bird.

Look at that girl-
her pretty face, and all that long hair,
walking along like she has not a care.
But she hates being objectified for her looks,
and mocked by her friends
because she keeps her nose to the books.

Look at her, too, with her music in her ears;
She tunes out the world and dances away her tears.
But no one knows how she's been hurt...
won't take the time to learn;
and wrongly assume that she's impassive and curt.
So she dances away, to tune after tune,
Hoping the healing will start very soon.

Check out that man with the pen and notepad,
writing off his emotions so that they don't drive him mad.
You see, he's quite afraid to show how he feels,
his pen and notepad help him to stay real.

Oh, how I envy that child, playing way over there,
skipping happily through life without a care.
But he does care, more than these adults could know,
He's been watching this world, and there's no room to grow.

A young mother sighs, as her new baby cries-
There's no mistaking the exhaustion in her eyes.
For her child, he won't sleep, he just cries all night;
Exposed early to the cruelties of this world, and unable to fight.

There's a girl on a bench there,
She watches people pass,
trying to guess their stories, she sits for hours...
Thinking, and watching, and waiting to see
if anyone else knows how miserable this life can be.