Little Things

Little things, that run, and quail,

And die, in silence and despair!

Little things, that fight, and fail,

And fall, on sea, and earth, and air!

All trapped and frightened little things,

The mouse, the coney, hear our prayer!

Forgive us all our trespasses,

Little creatures, everywhere!

James Stephens, from Collected Poems

My English teacher was from Great Britain, and in my mind I can still hear him recite "Wee, sleekit, cowrin, tim'rous beastie, O, what a panic's in thy breastie!"  (Ode to a Mouse, Robert Burns)

I remember feeling quite moved by the poem. 

Every time I see a creature killed on the road, turned up by the garden shovel, or deliberately killed by people who won't share space with animals, I feel a moment of sadness.  I hope I have passed this on to my children.

Simon the Cyrenian Speaks

He never spoke a word to me
And yet He called my name;
He never gave a sign to me,
And yet I knew and came.
At first I said, "I will not bear
His cross upon my back;
He only seeks to place it there
Because my skin is black."

But He was dying for a dream,
And He was very meek,
And in His eyes there shone a gleam
Men journey far to seek.

It was Himself my pity bought
I did for Christ alone
What all of Rome could not have wrought
With bruise of lash or stone.

by Countee Cullen, part of the Harlem Renaissance during the 1920s.
(learn about this important artistic movement)

Classification:  social commentary, or inspirational

Tradition sets Cyrene in Libya, which puts a new twist on the Bible story
to consider that Simon of Cyrene should be black.
I have occasionally been overcome by the annoying things about going to church: 
Lugging 2 sets of scriptures (English and Spanish), Sunday school manual, "the Friend" magazine to help the kid be quiet in the service, a primary manual if I was teaching...
What about Cub scouts? A royal pain.  What about standing in a cold parking lot waiting for a youth trip?   
But when it comes right down to it, It is Christ Himself we are drawn to.
It is His meekness and kindness that soften our hearts and make us want to be kind 
to others too.