tender mercies

[Rootsie]

kindness, mercy,
are these
the most deep things?

there are ones whose lifeline
always stands ready
even when misapprehended
receiving all insult
able to refine the worst dirt
into something higher
and finer

it is the mercy of God
that to those who worship
matters most,
mercy of which
we are most in need

maybe we construct
instruments of mercy
to worship
because incapable
of extending mercy to ourselves
much less each other

kindness, seeming so simple,
is impossible  without
integrity

there are shows of kindness,
lulling  words,
blanket absolutions,
but these
are not kind

what is kind stands firm
what is kind endures
what is kind is not different
but ever consistent

humans envision a mercy seat
where they can finally rest
but the only real comfort
to be found
is the kind we must rise to meet,
shaking  the dirt off our own feet

we recognize kindness
when we are ready to be kind,
obtain mercy
when we know we need it
really know it
unable to proceed
without it