it lingered in my hair and my well-to-do clothes
like a bad memory, a nightmare--or maybe, a plea
the smell of rancid sweat and fear and uncertainty
i met her on my way to breakfast that saturday morning
she had a wheelchair, clothes, and ruined feet
we offered her pancakes but she paused: "no, that i won't eat."
i sat behind him on my way home from work
it was dark and i was alone, envisioning kidnap wednesday evening
all i could remember was the back of his head and his boston cap
monday morning he walked by the aisle on my way to school
said "hi" to the bus driver, to his neighbor, sat down and talked
it was his dignity that left me ashamed and shocked
i had hoped that in writing it down,
i could make sense of it all
but at the end of the day i live in this world and not they
and i'm not so rich as to throw pity lest i make myself a clown
sidenotes;
they have dignity, too
God of sovereignty and redemption, help us
sigh i'm so rusty
can i be clothed in strength and dignity
like a bad memory, a nightmare--or maybe, a plea
the smell of rancid sweat and fear and uncertainty
i met her on my way to breakfast that saturday morning
she had a wheelchair, clothes, and ruined feet
we offered her pancakes but she paused: "no, that i won't eat."
i sat behind him on my way home from work
it was dark and i was alone, envisioning kidnap wednesday evening
all i could remember was the back of his head and his boston cap
monday morning he walked by the aisle on my way to school
said "hi" to the bus driver, to his neighbor, sat down and talked
it was his dignity that left me ashamed and shocked
i had hoped that in writing it down,
i could make sense of it all
but at the end of the day i live in this world and not they
and i'm not so rich as to throw pity lest i make myself a clown
sidenotes;
they have dignity, too
God of sovereignty and redemption, help us
sigh i'm so rusty
can i be clothed in strength and dignity