Posts Tagged ‘poetry’
January 23, 2013
I must admit that this came forth very painfully. I’m supposed to be writing for my book on prison ministry, but this came out instead.
—0—0—
An Immeasurable Distance
A young black face
Male
In profile
Through the narrow cell window
Just his profile
He was leaning
His back against the wall
Standing
Less than two feet away
But the door
The cell door
The solid steel cell door
Imposed an immeasurable distance
Between us
A gulf socioeconomic, judicial, racial
A span of years, experiences, hopes, dreams
Fears
Separated us
He spoke softly
“It’s hard,” he said
“I know,” was my only reply
Tears
Flowed instantly
Glistening on his dark skin
Catching the light from the small window
Twelve feet away
I also wept … inside
Silently, invisibly
Carrying on my own tears
Hundreds of young men
Hidden behind those doors
For the past twelve years
I’ve stood at those doors
This young man facing life
Without parole
Wept
Now 25 years old
He was eighteen
The day I first knocked on his door
© 2013 Thomas W. Cummins
Tags:justice, poetry, prison, prison chaplain, prison ministry, racism, Social Justice
Posted in Criminal Justice, Ministry, Poetry, Prison Ministry, racism, Social Justice | 2 Comments »
In a dim light... 
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