Empathy

-
In character, we all walk about
Makeup, perfume, hair in place
The spotlight shining just so,
And we hope someone will be able
To look past the paint
And see inside
Where the lonely little boy or girl
Huddles in the darkness
Weeping and frightened

And sometimes someone does
And sometimes no one does
But always God does
Though he doesn't always tell us so
He doesn't always stroke the child's head
And comfort.
He doesn't always speak to let us know
When He's watching
For sometimes His hands
Remain in his pockets
Sometimes His voice
Remains silent for reasons we do not know.

And then sometimes. some of us
Remove the makeup, let down our hair
And sometimes we reach out with hands
And voices that belong to God
To stroke and comfort other huddled children
And find the child within ourselves
Stroked and comforted in return.

Tom King