Love I Was Too Blind To See (Revised) Poem by Margaret Alice Second

As part of her welfare job my sis searched for homeless old
people – found an abandoned old lady who’s been working
at the post office, sorting letters for thirty years and sis
organised a welfare grant for her, bought the lady clothes
from her own pocket and rode her scooter all the way to the
State Hospital to visit the lady

While I was concerned with my sis’ tone of voice, harsh
and exasperated – not realising she was tired and over-
worked; without a car she had to ride everywhere on that
slow scooter, caring for the aged – and I was concerned
about sis’ lack of respect for my person, unaware that her
hard life made her impervious to convention

I was wrong yet again, repeating the mistake of my youth,
confusing refinement with integrity and love, looking at
appearances instead of morality and ethics – now my sis is
a saint in my eyes – I confess to being guilty of judging her
with superficial criteria, never shall I repeat this mistake
again, from now on I shall write her value

On the tables of my heart and remember her goodness and
the love she has shown me - the love I was too blind to see


(ORIGINAL :)

My sis searched for homeless old people as part of her
welfare job, found an abandoned old lady who has been
working at the post office, sorting letters for thirty years
and sis organised a welfare grant for her, bought the lady
clothes from her own pocket and rode her scooter all the
way to the State Hospital to visit the lady

While I was concerned with my sis’ tone of voice, harsh
and exasperated - not realising she was tired and over-
worked, without a car she had to ride everywhere on that
slow scooter, caring for the aged – and I was concerned
about sis’ lack of respect for my person, unaware that her
hard life made her impervious to convention

I was wrong yet again, repeating the mistake of my youth,
confusing refinement with integrity and love, looking at
appearances instead of morality and ethics – now my sis is
a saint in my eyes - I confess being guilty of judging her
with superficial criteria, never shall I repeat this mistake
again, from now on I shall write her value

On the tables of my heart and remember her goodness and
the love she has shown me - the love I was too blind to see

Saturday 13 July 2013