Poem #14--Listen

Listen

Friendship is a powerful thing, a special, helpful force.
It helps us, when we’re feeling lost, to find the rightful course.
So if there is one lesson now, that everyone should learn,
It is that friendship’s a two-way street; we must give it in return.
There are few things more important than being a great friend,
Helping one another to endure right to the end.
But sometimes, all our efforts seem to go on deafened ears.
Friends refuse to listen, and we are driven straight to tears.
Few things cause us sharper pain than good advice ignored,
So when a friend commits this crime, what good can lie in store?
Oftentimes we find ourselves in such a situation,
Reaching out to help a friend who’s stuck in tribulation.
But then they just don’t listen to our desperate pleas and cries,
They simply ignore our efforts, and call our warnings lies.
Sorrow fills our bodies as we gaze at a friend lost,
Heading down a darkened path, unaware of cost.
We try and try to hold their hand, to lead them the right way,
But they simply refuse to listen, for their hearts have gone astray.
And, for the friend giving advice, the pain is sure and real,
For they know best, and try to help their wayward friends to feel.
When a person does this thing, and good advice ignores,
The sorrow of their consequences spreads faster than a war.
Not only will they feel regret, when their path does reach its end,
But so shall feel their caring, loving, yet newly ignored friend.
So think first before you decide to go your stubborn way,
Listen to the caring warnings of friends from day to day.
Do not ignore their earnest pleas, if righteous these pleas are,
Stand by good friends, and give them heed, and you will then go far.
 --Karl Southwick

There are few things that make me sadder than giving a friend good advice and having them simply ignore it, moving on with what they want to do instead of what they know they should do. However, I know that I've done the same thing in the past to some of my friends. Basically, if we want to be better people, it'd be wise to listen to our friends when they tell us what they know and what we know is right. If they say we shouldn't do something, and we know they're right, no matter how much we may want to do that thing, we should listen. There's less pain in the end if you simply heed the words of your friends.