WINTER NON-SAMARITAN*

Did you ever know, just know, that someone
was there, there in the dark, there in the shadows,
but you dare not admit it? You dare not notice them,
that is, till you are at least 30 feet away.

There I was walking down a cold January night,
Manhattan, restaurant and theater district, New York City,
and I passed by somebody, someone there in a plastic bag,
someone up to their neck in cold and trouble and hurt,
someone trying to keep warm, someone surrounded
by other garbage bags, garbage bags neatly lined up
all along the curb, and their eyes still follow me,
still follow me all these years, as I keep on walking
by so many hurting people, as I keep on walking away
from them down all these same, same streets,
down these same, same roads, from Jerusalem to Jericho.

* Cf. Luke 10: 29-37; Galatians 6: 2

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2011