A DIAMOND AMONG THE
CAST-OFFS OF THE WORLD

Mother locked him, toddling,
in the bedroom closet;
dark; hour by hour
just a keyhole there for witnessing
the plying of her trade with men.

Father swung him by his legs
to hit his head on bed frame pillars:
stealing powers from his brain.
And, did it once, and then again;
driving him, by law, from home
to years in darkened institutions.

But our Creator’s light was in this diamond
(unable to pronounce the word “Creator”)
and he discovered Righteousness.
Then, chose it.

Here he is:

A shorter man than most. Righteous
(although he doesn’t know the word)
living upright through the journey
of his restricted life;

Love and laughter come from him unfurled
(though he is sometimes in despair).
Your Light shines forth from him, visibly
for eyes, ready and able to see
gleams, coming forth from him:

A diamond, among the cast-offs of the World.

He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.(Psalm 40:2)