Cullen - "Incident"

“Incident” is a poem that I read many years ago and have never forgotten, much like the message the child received while in Baltimore. Every time I read this poem it brings tears to my eyes. One action is powerful enough to burn into a child’s memory forever. The hate that can stem from one word, from one simple action proves the capabilities that one individual can have on another. Imagine now, if this child received a wave and a smile in return, how the trip would be different. Simple gestures send out strong messages, but do positive signals send out the same strength in their messages? It’s unfortunate to think that negative messages send out more strength, they hold more hearth and are more memorable. If only positive signals could carry the same weight, and every person gave another person at least on smile a day, what the world would be like.