A pastor in a major American city recently opened his church to the homeless and despairing at night.

He’s up for zoning regulation fines.

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Recorded Reading (1:59): Recorded Reading (2:02): https://www.dropbox.com/s/p2eqal51p2b3k8x/Refuse%20to%20See.mp3?dl=0

*****

Refuse to See

All that talk, talk, talk
‘Bout reaching for something higher? ~
We just had opportunity
To fulfill that true desire

But it refused to put itself
Beneath, nor yet above
Any of the rest of us
It truly walked in love

So we used that to which
Avoidance e’er resorts
And set our ears to listen to
Malicious false reports

We observed that it ate lunch
With the outdoor worker bands
Even though they didn’t
Water have to wash their hands

And noticed it had hung out
Where a soul wisdom receives:
With harlots and with mendicants
And tax collectors, thieves

Had had to tell its own
Dearly respected mother
It had asked her politely
To linger somewhere other

Because, although unpleasant,
Historic truth it be
A prophet disrespected is
By its own family

But worst of all, and this is what
Wasn’t even funny:
It paid no respect to
Our hierarchy of money!

Never in its presence
Obsequious became
Always in its absence
Smiling just the same

This old world is just the same
As it ever was
So when given choice
Between love and Barrabas

We’ll hound and we’ll harassed it
Let it know the score
Until with great relief we see
It isn’t smiling any more

And when its love and trust we have
Proudly treated so
It’s back to chapel, all dressed up
A-worshipping we’ll go

We’ll talk about compassion
Talk about humility
All that, when right in front of us,
We still refuse to see

*****

Homeless until removal of the stalker/targeter/vandal/arsonist following her allows her to approach any landlord ~ even for a private parking space ~ this poet presently lives under perpetual threat of towing with all possessions should her 23-year-old van stop running for any reason.

She is badly in need of a modest reserve with which to field any emergency which might occur.

Donors may visit http://www.UgiftABLE.com , using code #72D-31S. It does take several days for the poet to be notified of your patronage.

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