Tortured

poem about torture ---

If

If a man be tortured
mercilessly by no fault his own
does he not cry out
against the pain
does he not reach out
for the seemingly unreachable
a lump of regret in his heart
with the fear of the coming demise
does his tears not touch
are his cries unheard
in the darkness
is his soul not touched by
the utter meaninglessness
the constant frustration
the irritation of being

If a man believes unloved
does he not love in spite of it
because it's right

If a man sees tragedy
and does nothing
does he not become
what he sees
does he but sit
and believe himself
above it all, better than
what's before him
does he but turn away
a stone, destined
to be crushed by a
random tragic fate
will it have been too late

will tears again be shed
by another, dead of heart
broken and in pieces
crushed to sand ---
to be constantly washed
but never cleansed upon
the coast of time ---
to be crushed to dust
and blown away . . . ?