A Path Through . . .

( Old Beggar by Vasily Tropinin - found here ) My heart is pierced by gentle things Caught in cruel circumstances. By drunkards and druggies Dandies and dropouts: All these rend asunder The calculated calcification Of my starched-stiff self. My heart is moved Toward each and all these Vessels of the image Divine Long or lately defaced by garish graffiti Of post-lapsarian pride. And when I permit my eyes to search The heavy, knowing pairs of theirs I see they see I see in them And I dare say they see it in me too: Our Lord’s own Passion renewed. Such a knowing glance Between such distant men Not so distant Really But really very much the same. The thirsty glance of piercéd hearts Leads each a small step further Along the Way’s way And to Love’s sweet refrain: “You did it for me.” ~Barnabas McHenry