mercy

i saw flowers on a mountain top

i was there and pondered

how they,

make their own food by the sun's rays

and the wind and rain

 

i thought of the man i saw sitting outside panda express

his head down

black ragged beard

disheveled mop of hair

i knew his repertoire to come

as i walked up, intent on going past him

he uttered,

"hello sir, . . . "

his voice laconic

i walked up, intent on going past him

didn't hear the end of his rehearsed speech

i walked to the starbucks door adjacent,

i did a turn around on impulse

grabbed my wallet

pulled out a 5

"here, take this, the Lord Jesus bless you"

he stared down to check it out,

just a bit dumbfounded

his hands were blackened by dirt and grime

i noticed as he held the bill

his eyes were of the most remarkable blue of bluest blue

i said again,

"Go, get something to eat, God Bless you"

he was tired, i could see,

downcast and humble

 

i walked away and wondered about him

what brought him to this

and felt saddened, but good inside

i prayed that he might find his way

i considered his eyes

how they must have looked to his mother

his father

his friends

while here he sat alone, distraught

like thousands across the world

i wept inside

 

it felt good to give

this time i did not give in to my philosophical dissertation:

"give a bum and you'll only enable him,"

i stowed away my judgement to the wayside

i dispensed to the curb the typical rhetoric:

"beggars are annoying,"

 

i heard a scripture, i felt a voice in my heart,

"the heart of the Lord is mercy"

it really is a blessing to give,

more to the giver than to the recipient

not of the quantity

not for recognition

not for reward

just because

it's right

 

it felt good