The child lay at peace
her eyes closed and her
long dark lashes
fanned her gaunt cheeks.
Each breath taken
an effort and each heart
beat slowing as her life
seeps slowly from her
shrinking soul.
———————–
Another child lies
asleep on a soft
mattress and pillows
both at the mercy
of bullying braggarts
and the choices others
make. This babe will
live and grieve the
other child’s chilled flesh.
———————–
Elsewhere a son
is born in filth and
fragility. His body
fought to survive
cruelty and the cross
He took the small ones,
and blessed them
and said, these are
God’s precious gifts
———————
To you, and so
God grieves as we
take his beautiful
gifts and use
them, hurt them and
hurl them into an
abyss of pain,
starvation
and humiliation.
