observation with extended view

there's no envy in watching others fail
to see the crack in the hard pyrex shell
to know that they are in a tiny hell
they asked to be ridden out on a rail
and to be thoroughly beaten head to tail
you want to watch as they cast a bad spell
gnats alight brought by the tang the smell
and then a million lapping up the stale
of their insanity we'll be given proof
though others might not want to see it now
the pain of empathy might give us pause
the tide ebbs off the once drowned roof
we give the most relief the rules allow
but are frustrated by the worst of laws