Grace Of God Or Fate Poem by David Whalen

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An old man staggering and begging
Outside the doors of Walmart…
There but for the grace of God go I

Perhaps most look askance
Not even giving a second glance…
There but for the vagaries of Fate go I

Does the miscreant chuckle to himself
At the naïve charity of strangers
Or does there reside a tear in his eye

His hands tremble…His eyes dart about
Is his sad condition real
Or just a well performed lie

Life's not always fair
We all bear some sting
Of outrageous misfortune

But some seem to bear more
Than their fair share
A seemingly outsized portion

So how is it that they're overweight
How can they afford to smoke
How can that be… if in truth they're truly broke

Perhaps their lives are
Not all that meets the eye
I can only surmise (and sympathize)

And wonder whether
It's by luck, or fate,
But there, for grace of god
…Go I…


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