Only One Father (God) Poem by Randy McClave

She came to church for Sunday school
She took the church bus for the ride,
Sadly at home she she was treated cruel
So, she comes for God, never has she cried.
She was all alone sitting in my church
Contemplating solemnly on the very last pew,
She was holding onto her tiny purse
And there no one there had she knew.
And there I saw her just sitting
Her tiny eyes were already transfixed,
Was she thinking about love after a beating
As she stared upon the church's crucifix.
She was about 10 or maybe 11 years old
With a very sad and sullen face,
Tearfully she looked very silent and cold
She looked so very out of place.
I asked the pastor's wife to speak to her
And of course she happily did,
So, unto the child the pastor's wife did confer
And not one thing did the child hid.
The child said that she was again hurt
Her brother had beat her up once again,
He had also thrown her in the dirt
And then he gave her only a grin.
The pastor's wife then began to shed a tear
For the child sitting on the pew all alone,
From the sad story that she did hear
On her face true sadness was then shown.
This of course wasn't the very first time
That her brother with her did wrestling and fight,
I saw this as an abusing crime
Which at all wasn't brotherly or right.
The pastor's wife then gave the girl words to ease
So, her brother wouldn't remain a hurtful bother
Tell your daddy of your mean and abusive brother please
Then the child said, "But, Mam I have no earthly father".

Randy L. McClave