April 21st

“I called to the LORD out of my distress, 

   and he answered me;
out of the belly of Sheol I cried,
   and you heard my voice." Jonah 2:2

i was sitting in the

gutter with an empty bottle

at my feet and while 

the clergy rushed by 

on the way to a meeting

you sat down and, in the silence,

listened to my broken heart.

they told me if i kept 

up all the foolish choices

i was making, i would slide

so far down that they would

never be able to help me,

but when i got there, you

were waiting, having

heard those cries i thought

echoed only in my imagination,

and taking me by the hand,

we began the long journey

out of the shadows of despair

you know far better than

we give you credit.

(c) 2025 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman