She sat so gleefully, her smile a boundless sea,
As if the glittering waves crashed close behind her—
Not on the open shore, but deep within the woods,
Where nature holds its peace, a gentle finder.
She sought the ones who give, the helpers of the earth,
Untainted by the selfish greed that blinds us.
Yet just beyond the trees, the heavy truth remains:
The poor still struggle daily, hand to mouth,
While in their lofty rooms, the wealthy live upstairs,
Untouched by blowing winds from north or south.
And here I stand, just growing older by the day,
Not stranded on some distant, foreign shore,
But weathering the heat beneath a burning sun,
To face the heavy burdens at my door.
A quiet danger coils, a serpent always near,
Like a neighbor whispering malice in the shade,
Beset by trembling fears and words of ancient strife,
Watching the fragile peace that we have made.
