The Park, Revisited

As the sun was setting,
We went to the park,
My boys and I.

It was smaller than I expected,
Two swings, two rocker animals,
A single slide with a climbing tower.

The boys ran around happily,
And Caleb climbed the ladder,
Slid down, and ran as fast as he could

For more. But what I most remember
Was the little girl who asked me
To help her put on her shoes,

And I looked at her teeth,
Three top teeth missing, and the new ones
Coming in black.

And her cough, and her runny nose. Silently
I prayed for her, that the Lord would meet her.
Her mother showed us the new baby,

Two months old, four pounds at birth.
She spoke with a lisp because of her missing front teeth.
Uncommonly bad nutrition,

Or meth addiction?
A shocking reminder that not only do I not know my neighbors,
But I don’t want to know them.

That is too much brokenness for me.
Even so, come Lord Jesus.
Have mercy on this broken world.