Am I My Brother's Keeper? | Teen Ink

Am I My Brother's Keeper? MAG

By Anonymous

Who is my brother?
Another offspring of my mother?
Or is he the guy on the street corner
begging for money?
Is my sister the girl selling her body
to feed the mouths of her hungry kids?
Was it my friend who got drunk
and died from hitting a tree?
Am I my brother’s keeper?
Should I tell the person next to me
where that road will lead them?
Should I support a hungry
child in Africa whose eyes
well up in tears every day?
Tell me who is my brother.
Who is my sister.
Tell me their story.
Tell me their problem and ask
Are you your brother’s keeper?



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This article has 64 comments.


Eswzem BRONZE said...
on Jul. 20 2017 at 9:50 am
Eswzem BRONZE, New Castle, Pennsylvania
4 articles 9 photos 67 comments

Favorite Quote:
“For I have a plan for you. A plan to give you peace not for disaster, but a plan to give you hope and a future.” -Our Heavenly Father

Wow. This poem is amazing. Reminds me of Genesis 4:9. Yes, we are our brother's keeper.

on Jul. 13 2017 at 5:13 am
SeekJustice BRONZE, Goulburn, Other
1 article 0 photos 14 comments

Favorite Quote:
"He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep, to gain what he cannot lose." --Jim Elliot

"And what does the Lord require of you? To Seek Justice, Love Mercy and Walk Humbly with your God." Micah 6:8

A really nice piece Danisha, its really enjoyable and heartfelt.

KylieK GOLD said...
on Jun. 17 2014 at 9:21 am
KylieK GOLD, Mt. Washington, Kentucky
11 articles 0 photos 270 comments

Favorite Quote:
"To love is to surpass one's self."

I love that song!  

asofnow GOLD said...
on May. 26 2014 at 11:03 pm
asofnow GOLD, Troy, Michigan
18 articles 0 photos 208 comments

Favorite Quote:
Nothing gold can stay ~ Robert Frost

I see what you're going with this and this was a great message in a simple yet heartfelt poem :)

on Sep. 4 2013 at 4:48 pm
LegendKeeper DIAMOND, Unadilla, New York
60 articles 2 photos 48 comments

Favorite Quote:
"What is impossible with man is possible with God." Luke 18:27

Have you ever listened to Superchick's song "Hero"? It says pretty much the same thing as you're saying here, and you did an awesome job on this!  

on Feb. 8 2012 at 5:01 pm
Anny_Grace SILVER, Centennial, Colorado
9 articles 0 photos 22 comments
What an amazing message. Absolutely love it.

on Jan. 17 2012 at 6:35 pm
HappyCamper GOLD, Louisville, Kentucky
10 articles 0 photos 3 comments
Beautiful. It brought me to tears.

on Nov. 12 2011 at 11:24 pm
It Makes You Think About The Real Meaning Of The Words "Brother"And "Sister"

Callie S. said...
on Sep. 29 2011 at 8:32 pm
this was really amazing...anbd kinda creepy for me, because we were just talking about that in school today...coincidence?

on Sep. 29 2011 at 5:07 pm
Rocinante SILVER, Wexford, Pennsylvania
7 articles 1 photo 386 comments
I agree with LifeWrite and zadiekatie23. This is deep and powerful even in its absractness. It has a certain bang that it couldn't achieve with a longer, more prosey peice.

on Sep. 7 2011 at 5:54 pm
zadiekatie23 PLATINUM, Rio Rancho, New Mexico
39 articles 4 photos 69 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind." - Dr. Seuss

Like LifeWrite said, really deep. I like the abstractness and ambiguity of it, as well as the directness. I am my brother's keeper, so I was drawn to the question that was this title.

on Aug. 16 2011 at 1:19 pm
Laura_Oliver GOLD, Manchester, Connecticut
12 articles 2 photos 122 comments
Who are you, though? Are you rich and successful? Or are you the same?.....

on Jul. 25 2011 at 6:49 pm
LifeWrite PLATINUM, Westfield, New Jersey
44 articles 14 photos 53 comments
Wow, this is really deep. So true. Hands down five stars!! :) Could you check out my poem "The Scarlet Road"?

on Jul. 25 2011 at 6:32 am
IAmWhoIWantToBe PLATINUM, Manila, Other
41 articles 0 photos 650 comments

Favorite Quote:
‎"I’m learning how to drown out the constant noise that is such an inseparable part of my life. I don’t have to prove anything to anyone. I only have to follow my heart and concentrate on what I want to say to the world: I run my world." - Beyoncé

Woah! Kept me raeding till the end! Nice work!

on Jun. 11 2011 at 10:03 am
Tayrodactyl PLATINUM, Palmyra, Indiana
20 articles 1 photo 62 comments
This is a beautiful piece, and I would love to have you check out some of my work :)

on May. 20 2011 at 9:32 pm
Dedegirl PLATINUM, Williamsburg, Virginia
21 articles 0 photos 7 comments

Favorite Quote:
"plain & simple, black & white"

Oh my goodness! This is so deep! I love this! Your great, keep it up!

on May. 20 2011 at 6:37 pm
ashleyn PLATINUM, Zeeland, Michigan
39 articles 2 photos 64 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Don't take life to seriously, nobody makes it out alive anyways"-Unknown

OMG! So touching! It almost made me cry it's so full of meaning. Very well done! (:

ker-bear said...
on May. 20 2011 at 2:56 pm
this is a very meaningfull writting!!it hits you right on the heart. keep it up

on Apr. 28 2011 at 8:43 pm
AthenaBook SILVER, Arlington, Virginia
5 articles 0 photos 36 comments

Favorite Quote:
You should not live the way the world asks, but the way that you ask of yourself.

WOW! Very deep and meaningful; loved it and very fitting for today's world. Keep writing; this was amazing!

on Apr. 13 2011 at 12:39 pm
it was very aspiring to me it was very good truly amazing of a poem