..........Hurt..........

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!

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