Conscience

I am troubled by begging and struck by the fact that,
in England, there are good days and bad days for doing it.
And I am disturbed by my distrust of the poor.
But it is different in Italy.
There they sit on the pavement with their pathetic cup,
and face buried, because "begging is shameful."
Or smartly dressed, accost you with their baby on the station concourse,
and challenge you with the sign of the cross.
And I am disturbed by my distrust of the poor.
To Christ, I turn for solace. Didn't he say:
"The poor will always be with you,"
when his disciples were indignant at the cost of the ointment.
He must understand? There has to be room for manoeuvre?
Here, we are arguing about the veil.
In the Medina there was no argument.
Veiled, she came after my hand kissing it.
And I had give a pittance.
__________

© Cormac McCloskey