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Another Crossroads
I have a rendezvous with destiny.
It’s at the crossroads of Straight Street and Main.
With cardboard sign, that man rules his domain.
(Cops do not bother with such vagrancy.)
Some iced tea and granola bars—my snack.
The green light cautions, quickly turns to red.
The dude certainly does not look well fed.
He’ll likely use his cash for beer or crack.
The light’s still red. He’s three car lengths away.
I roll the window down. Our eyes connect.
He darts to me, holding a cigarette.
(Camus once wrote, “Today is Judgment day.”)
I hand my snacks and then unopened tea.
“To this the least of them; you do for me.”
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Poet’s Note: the quote from the final line comes from Matthew 25.31-46
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Peter Venable has been writing poetry for 50 years. He has been published in Windhover, Third Wednesday, Time of Singing, The Merton Seasonal, American Vendantist, The Anglican Theological Review, and others. He is a member of the Winston Salem Writers. On the whimsical side, he has been published in Bluepepper, Parody, Laughing Dog, The Asses of Parnassus, and Lighten Up Online (e. g. # 48).
The touching sharing something more meaningful than money to be misspent certainly falls into the biblical sense of caring for “the least of them” and reflects greatly on the faithful and sincere side of humanity. Love the poem and the teaching point.
Well, shiver me timbers and blow me down. Stuff happens.
It does seem that our empathy and humanity have been stretched by the burgeoning numbers of the needy (see above comment), often with excuses that those seeking help on the streets somehow deserve what’s happened to them.
Thanks for the vivid image and thoughts you’ve brought to the table, Peter.
Yes, the poem is a reminder that we can be prepared to give.