A Drowning Child Poem by Randy McClave

There was a girl drowning in the river
She cried out for help as she began to shiver,
She begged for someone, anyone to help her please
As she cried out that she can't swim, and she began to freeze.
Many men came running over after they heard her crying out
And then unto her they all began to scream and shout,
They asked her, her religion and where did she come from
And also if she had a job, or was she just a beggar, a bum.
There the men stood as though to watch her drown
And each spoke her a question, and her response gave them a frown,
And as they stood watching her crying and begging and drowning
Not one man there was either sad or frowning.
Then one man asked her if she was a transgender or gay
And does she believe if abortion is wrong or is it okay,
And as she was drowning they asked her one question after another
Then slowly and surely by the water she began to smother.
Then the men there all got together and they began to converse
As the drowning girl's situation began to get much worse,
Each man there then argued why he couldn't rescue her
As they all heard her go gulp, gulp, gulp and then give out a "burr".
One man screamed, "I won't pull her out because of the color of her face"
"Well, I won't pull her out", screamed another, "because of her race",
"I won't pull her out", said another, "because she doesn't speak my language"
"I won't pull her out", said one, "because of her religion, let her drown in anguish".
More questions they asked her and the more tears she then cried
She begged to be saved, and then on the shore she'd be dried,
Then a stranger showed up and he pulled her out of the river and smiled
Then he said unto her and all, "I saved you, because you are God's child".

Randy L. McClave