by Jeremy Wayne Couch
The next day, from his porch,
the Doctor sees his neighbors' son
hiding up in a tree.
"Boy, come here!" the boy's father yells.
"Or I'll whip your rear!"
"Mama, please, don't make me come in!"
The boy pleads from his sanctuary,
"Please, don't let him hit me again!"
"He's your father.
You'll do as he says."
The boy's mother answers,
"Stop those tears!"
"Your life is better than mine ever was."
The Doctor rises in anger from his seat,
but his wife touches his arm
and gently repeats
"Honey, you must learn.
This is none of our business.
It's none of our concern."
So he says, "You're right." with a kiss
and sets his anger aside,
but he wonders to himself,
"What kind of world is this?
We don't interfere.
We don't go near.
We stay over here
behind our fences."