On Power

Always from the child’s hand the sword

should be removed

I think every nation is

an infant

                                St. Francis of Assisi

__________________________________

they look so smug

these people of power

as with their self satisfied looks

they pronounce

and prance

smugness holding hands

with heartlessness

 

with cold remarks about

everything

everyone

about the losers

and takers, and graspers

about the “evil” one’s

(whose major sin seems to be not agreeing with them)

So, imperiously, they cut and slash

budgets come, and budgets go

and the children of God

are labeled

and left in hunger

are cast as less than

unworthy

and deviant

ah perhaps most

(if not every)

politician is an infant

what devastation we wreak

when we give any woman or man

power

what dangers we face

when have it

ourselves

____________________________

Lord deliver us from those who have power

even more from those who love power

for power’s sake

and deliver us from ourselves

when we too

take up

the

sword

AMEN