I was present
At an argument
Between a fundamentalist
And a secularist.
There was name-calling.
The fundamentalist said
The secularist was
A sinner and a God-denier.
The secularist said
The fundamentalist was
A bigot and a simpleton.
I sat facing them
On the train
And realized
My blood was boiling.
I had my own names
For each of them.
Just when I
Could stand it
No more --
When the
Train car crackled
With their anger
And my equanimity had melted --
We bumped over a crossing.
I spilled my coffee.
They both leaned over
To help me.
One offered her handkerchief,
The other his spare napkins.
I thanked them,
And remarked that
The stain on my thigh
Was the shape of Idaho.
We all smiled.
They did not argue after that.
--Mr. Gobley
1 comment:
:) see, you are a unifier, well, with the intervention of the Devine. What do you suppose each will remember of that conversation?
Hopefully, the smiles at the end of it.
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