According to Brueghel
when Icarus fell
it was spring
a farmer was ploughing
his field
the whole pageantry
of the year was
awake tingling
near
the edge of the sea
concerned
with itself
sweating in the sun
that melted
the wings’ wax
unsignificantly
off the coast
there was
a splash quite unnoticed
this was
Icarus drowning
(Landscape with The Fall of Icarus by William Carlos Williams)
“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.'” (Matthew 25: 40)
Dear God, I have been reminded lately of “the least of these”
Those who live on the fringes of society
Those whom people call “marginalized”
They live their lives
And I live mine
But I do not notice them
They, however, see me plainly
They see me living my life of comfort
They see me not wondering where my next meal is coming from
They see me complaining about yet another tax increase
They do not need to worry about taxes
But that is probably the only worry
They do not have
Help me, this day,
To see them falling through the cracks
As Icarus fell to the sea
Help me to rescue them
To treat them as though they matter
Not to ignore them
So that they drown in
The depths of their despair
Amen
