The Bell on the Crutch

In medieval times, lepers fastened bells to their crutches so that those not afflicted would hear their approach and avoid them. Thus do we collude in trying to place the greatest distance between ourselves and those who most need our help.


The first of the Millennium Development Goals is similarly direct, only the ringing of this bell is meant to draw us nearer. We have a goal to:

ERADICATE EXTREME POVERTY AND HUNGER.

In my mind, that bell rings directly, categorically. The verb "eradicate" suggests digging right down under the roots and removing the vicious vine of extreme poverty and hunger from the earth, roots and all.

I wrote a poem about the lepers with the bells on their crutches. Do you have a poem you can send me, too? Just email me at jabez.vancleef@verizon.net. Or, you can post your poem as a comment at the bottom of this page.


The Lepers

Hear us
Hear us.

We warn you, we are coming

We do not warn you with a mighty weapon
We have no weapon

We do not warn you with a coat of mail
We have no armor but our skin

We do not warn you with a mask of anger,
Only what there is of our faces

This fist cannot strike you
This foot cannot oppress you

We burn in our own slow fire

So hear us,
hear us

We ask you, hear us with your ears
See us with your eyes

In your eyes we search for pity
Not for anger, not for fear

In your eyes the cooling depth
Of mercy, pity, peace and love

Just see us with your eyes
As we pass along this highway

See us, hear us, touch us
Let our weakness perfect your strength