J.M.J.
J.M.J.
IT WAS I
I WAS COLD AND HUNGRY AND DID NOT HAVE A DIME;
I AM SERVING A SENTENCE FOR COMMITTING NO CRIME.
THOSE WHO GLANCED AT MY IMAGE TURNED THEIR HEADS AND DROVE BY.
I HAD NOT ONE TEAR LEFT FROM THE PAIN LEFT TO CRY.
I WALKED DOWN THE STREET HAVING NO PLACE TO GO
THOUGH I KNEW EACH ONE PASSING NO ONE MY NAME DID KNOW.
MY ONLY POSSESSIONS WERE THE CLOTHES ON MY BACK;
MY POCKETS WERE EMPTY, NOT A COIN FOR A SNACK.
WHEN YOU LOOKED AT ME YOU KNEW NOT IT WAS I
AS YOU RESPONDED TO YOUR WIFE AND CHOSE TO COMPLY.
I CHOSE THIS MOMENT SO THAT YOU WOULD UNDERSTAND
THAT THE HAND OF A BEGGAR CAN BE ALSO MY HAND.
“THY WILL BE DONE”
1-26-2006
see
1-15-06
(THE POEM REFERS TO THE ENCOUNTER WITH WHAT THE RECIPIENT AND HIS WIFE PERCEIVED AS A HOMELESS MAN. THEIR CAR WAS STOPPED FOR A RED LIGHT. THE RECIPIENT ONLY MADE EYE CONTACT WITH THE MAN, WHO NEVER MADE ANY GESTURES OF BEGGING, AS HE PASSED THEIR CAR. THE RECIPIENT’S WIFE ASKED HIM TO GIVE THE MAN SOME MONEY. HIS GRATITUDE AND THE ENTIRE INCIDENT TOUCHED THEM SO DEEPLY THAT TEARS WERE SHED AS THEY PRAYED THE ROSARY DRIVING HOME.)