Benevolence (poem)

Benevolence

Off to beg

off to ask a promise be remembered

rifle charity clothes and find

wearable estates of men and women, botheration…

scoffing rid of Grandma’s stupid things

(amounts to spending, not inheriting)

senescent children shooting cheating sidelongs

This or that “worth something” hmm? (ooh hoo)

in vintage, maybe a dollar in a pocket

shining threads in a church or funeral jacket

where on the spectrum lights Earnest Will

if you keep quiet and aren’t asked to give it back

within the bounds of never making worry

of your sorry being here to Factor…Factor, dear

Merciful guardian

Be you pleased, don’t have Old Father Ben thinking

I waste my time

Courage is a challenge

Courage will come to be

But giving without your grudging fingers sticking

Taking what you have, have filled your shelves with

as life, what it offers

Everyone else is different

How very hard it is to find that virtue

And if you find it can you keep it

Do you need to preen and strut

Or to smack yourself so silly

with such glee Sweet Thee top-drawering…

You above all donors

bless your beggars and co-saint bestowers

Benevolence

Respect

(2020, Stephanie Foster)