July 16th

"Then the one who had received the one talent also came forward, saying, 'Master, I knew that you were a harsh man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter seed; so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.'" Matthew 25:24-25

afraid they might spend it

on addicts, the homeless,

and all the other losers 

who hang out on our streets,

we keep your grace in 

safe deposit boxes, throwing

away the keys, 

we bury your hope ten feet

below the ground and then

pour two foot thick slabs

of concrete over the dirt,

we put all our justice 

into bearer bonds which 

won't mature for at least

another 50 years which by then

will make it someone else's problem,

we put put a lot of memes

and platitudes and posts

about how we can't look

at another person and know

what they are going through,

while turning our backs on

those standing on street corners,

all the while waiting for you 

to pat us on the head 

like good little girls and boys.

(c) 2024 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman