2000-12-09 - 19:18:19
THE CHILD AND THE WISKERY MISTER!
WHAT IS THAT SPECIAL FEELING
WHICH SEEMS TO COME OVER US EVERY YEAR AT THIS TIME?
WHERE DOES ONE BEGIN TO LOOK FOR THE MIRACLE,
WHICH TRANSFORMS THE AVENUES AND SIDE-STREETS
INTO A FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS?
AND, HOW COME IT NEVER SEEMS TO END FOR THOSE
WHO TAKE A MOMENT TO GAZE INTO ITS BRILLIANCE?
WHY IS IT THAT SO MANY DIFFERENT PATHS
SEEM TO CONVERGE ALL AT ONCE FROM OUT OF NO WHERE?
AND YET FOR SOME, THEY REMAIN APART?
WHEN DO YOU THINK WE WILL FINALLY FIND A WAY
TO HOLD ONTO THIS DREAM AFTER THE ORNAMENTS
AND CANDLES HAVE BEEN PUT AWAY?
AND IF WE DO, WHERE SHALL WE KEEP IT?
I SUPPOSE EACH OF US HAVE AT ONE TIME,
OR ANOTHER, ASKED OURSELVES WHAT IT WOULD BE LIKE
TO KNOW THE ANSWER TO THESE QUESTIONS.
YET, THE OTHER DAY I SAW A SMALL CHILD RUNNING
THROUGH THE PARK, AND STOP NEAR AN OLD MAN,
HALF-SLEEPING ON A BENCH NEXT TO A SHOPPING CART
FILLED WITH ALL THAT MATTERED TO HIM.
AND AS THE CHILD REACHED DOWN AND PULLED
THE PLASTIC BLANKET UP OVER THE MAN'S SHOULDERS
THE SMILE OF WARMTH IN HIS EYES TOLD ME:
THE ANSWER I'VE BEEN SEARCHING FOR
ISN'T IN SOME DEPARTMENT STORE;
ISN'T WRAPPED IN FANCY PAPER
PLACED NEATLY 'NEATH SOME EVERGREEN!
THE ANSWER I NOW KNOW LIES
IN WHATEVER MADE THAT CHILD STOP,
AND IN THE FEELING I SAW THEN IN THEIR EYES --
THE CHILD AND THE WISKERY MISTER!
YES! I'M QUITE SURE OF THAT YOU SEE...
FOR WHATEVER THAT CHILD TOUCHED IN THAT OLD MAN,
WAS ALSO TOUCHED IN ME!
