I do not want to see you as a social problem
I don't want myself to be viewed in that way
to be "served" that way
to be nudged, cajoled, form filled out
and ready to be packaged
ready to fit the category neatly
with no warning flags to be noted
I do not want to be a case file
I do not want to be a client
I do not want to be the underserved
I do not want to be the poor
I don't know how to make you understand
that I am a you, I am in the image of God
I have a name I was called by my mother
I am a person who has gone through many things
I did not fail
even if I don't have what you may consider
a reasonable amount of money in the bank
I never took drugs
I never drank
I never ran around
I do not consider that those who did
should be judged by you though
how do you know how they feel inside
what they have suffered.
you hand me a leaflet or a line
this hurts the most,
as though I never heard of God
If I didn't know Christ already though
I would be dead
so please look in my eyes and let me
tell you this:
why would you assume I don't know God
is it because you believe that those who know God
must be in a certain income bracket
Must own or occupy a house
must cut the grass regularly
and get their nails done
must not have failing teeth
must be in every way imaginable
the image of a successful person
what do you mean by success
must be a leader
what do you mean by leadership
I would like to be a true friend
why isn't that enough
and to love poetry but oh I
must be made fit to be seen in public
and oh though you will not believe it,
I have a clear mind.
please do not give me a copy
of the purpose driven life;
it was by following my purpose
I am now in my current condition
oh
I had parents and grandparents
who trained me well
they said it is your heart that counts
if you do your best that is enough
God will always hear you
he will always know where you are
you are his sparrow, his flower of the field
he will not ask you to fill out a form
so that you may eat and then ask you
to fill it out again in six months
he will believe you when you simply say:
I am hungry.
he will arm you for the battle
so that you will remain yourself
in a sea of classifications.
so that you will know that you know
you belong to Him
and not to the whims
of strangers who went to school
to study you.
mary angela douglas 6 september 2017
I don't want myself to be viewed in that way
to be "served" that way
to be nudged, cajoled, form filled out
and ready to be packaged
ready to fit the category neatly
with no warning flags to be noted
I do not want to be a case file
I do not want to be a client
I do not want to be the underserved
I do not want to be the poor
I don't know how to make you understand
that I am a you, I am in the image of God
I have a name I was called by my mother
I am a person who has gone through many things
I did not fail
even if I don't have what you may consider
a reasonable amount of money in the bank
I never took drugs
I never drank
I never ran around
I do not consider that those who did
should be judged by you though
how do you know how they feel inside
what they have suffered.
you hand me a leaflet or a line
this hurts the most,
as though I never heard of God
If I didn't know Christ already though
I would be dead
so please look in my eyes and let me
tell you this:
why would you assume I don't know God
is it because you believe that those who know God
must be in a certain income bracket
Must own or occupy a house
must cut the grass regularly
and get their nails done
must not have failing teeth
must be in every way imaginable
the image of a successful person
what do you mean by success
must be a leader
what do you mean by leadership
I would like to be a true friend
why isn't that enough
and to love poetry but oh I
must be made fit to be seen in public
and oh though you will not believe it,
I have a clear mind.
please do not give me a copy
of the purpose driven life;
it was by following my purpose
I am now in my current condition
oh
I had parents and grandparents
who trained me well
they said it is your heart that counts
if you do your best that is enough
God will always hear you
he will always know where you are
you are his sparrow, his flower of the field
he will not ask you to fill out a form
so that you may eat and then ask you
to fill it out again in six months
he will believe you when you simply say:
I am hungry.
he will arm you for the battle
so that you will remain yourself
in a sea of classifications.
so that you will know that you know
you belong to Him
and not to the whims
of strangers who went to school
to study you.
mary angela douglas 6 september 2017
