He stands
alone, awkward and shy,
If it
would help, he'd pray to die;
He often
asks, but knows not why:
Others
are to him harsh and cold,
Insult,
belittle mock and scold;
Their
words are so callous and bold.
He tries
his best to do what's right,
In darkness
now, he longs for light,
He labors
true, with all his might:
But
in their eyes his efforts fail,
With
angry words they still assail,
No help,
no hope -- to no avail.
If only
they could stop and see,
He simply
longs to be set free,
If it
were them, they would agree:
Their
thoughtless words, deeds filled with hate,
For
him it is an awful fate:
Those
horrid words he must await.
"Sticks
and stones..." the poets rhyme,
But
words inflict, with passing time,
In ways
so plain and so sublime:
Such
vicious wounds that sting and smart,
Embarrass,
hurt -- but hear this part:
They
kill no flesh, but cut the heart.
If on
the way you chance to meet
This
poor lost soul, in deep retreat,
Send
words his way so kind and sweet;
You
just may be the one to win
His
soul so broken by their sin
And
set him on his feet again.
A chance
to be a friend to man,
To do
each day whate'er he can,
With
dignity he longs to stand;
To be
accepted by his peers,
To finally
o'ercome his fears,
To know
that peace and comfort nears...
But such
to him shall never be,
He's
doomed from shame ne'er to be free,
Fore'er
he'll live in misery;
Tis
true, he longs for something more,
For
peace each man he does implore,
But
peace for him is not in store.
He stands
alone, awkward and shy,
If it
would help, he'd pray to die;
He often
asks, but knows not why:
Others
are to him harsh and cold,
Insult,
belittle mock and scold;
Their
words are so callous and bold.
..........H. L. Gradowith..........
April 8, 1997
NOTE: There are many people mistreated in life, and the message of this poem is designed to move each of us to be careful not to be the ones who mistreat them. Thanks so much for being a subscriber to Gradowith Poems!