Envoys (Free Verse Sonnet) Poem by Gert Strydom

(after Lucas Malan)

What does a person know about the man that stands at the traffic light
in the hot sun away from the shadow of the trees in the lane
with a board in his hand on which he is begging for money and aid
and many think that he is too rotten to work and so his life does go on.
The religious zealots or the colporteur that knocks at the door is the one
that everywhere does dare his life against dogs that want to tear him apart,
do want to set a view of God to you or do want to sell religious books,
do sometimes want to warn the entire world about what is about to happen
and if Jesus Christ in person does come to have a friendly conversation,
shyly like a boy walks to the front door and do come and ask
for water and you see that He is carrying many miles
will you recognize Him and do your door swing open wide
or do you show Him away like all of the others
and shout:"get out of your own mess by yourself! "

[Reference:"Gesante" (Envoys) by Lucas Malan.]

© Gert Strydom