Sanctuary in the Crosswalk


A monastic heart in city shoes
daily paddles the upstream current
of concrete sidewalks, asphalt streets and noise.
He navigates the eddies of the common folk,
rougher waters of the streetsters
and froth-boiled rapids of the good, clean churchies;
Justin loves them all.
With an infectious, well worn smile
sprung from a grinning heart,
he pushes a java which wakens the soul,
waters dry hearts,
makes you a friend;
though something rattles beneath his skin,
a discontent when viewing pain,
enduring grace, and even, peace;
it makes him itch.
Unafraid to birth a ritual,
bury a habit,
follow a whisper
he simply shuffles through each minute,
perhaps to trade it for an hour
or whatever time it takes to pull someone,
be tugged himself up the rickety-wobble steps of mercy;
this daily climb across Christ's bones,
quietly along the dirty stairs
to heaven.

Copyright (c) 2007 Gary Brown