Footprints On The Pier Poem by Jim Yerman

Although we walked quite early this morning
when we reached the marina it was clear…
people had walked before we did…
they left their footprints on the pier.

The only time we see these footprints
is in the early morn…pre-dawn…
because once the warmth of the sun hits the pier
these footprints will be gone.

And I had to smile as I found myself
tracing different footprints there and here….
thinking how we cannot judge a person
by their footprints on a pier.

We can't tell if it's a woman or a man
the color of their skin
their religion
their nationality
if they are gay or straight…or queer, , ,
none of these can be determined from their footprints on the pier.

The more I walked in other people's footprints…
footprints in all shapes…big and wide and small…
the more I thought those things we deem important…
really shouldn't matter much at all.

What if all that should matter to us
is that a person is loving and generous and kind…
because ultimately
won't we all be judged
by the footprints we leave behind?