WHEN KINDNESS GREETS

Its reality is awesome


Its gifts are highly priced


Its losses are colossal


Its pangs most excruciating.






When it beckons, the greatest bow


When it resonates, the bravest reels


When it shouts, the orator stutters


Such is the might of kindness.






In packages of paper, gold is wrapped


The careless, never notice it


The anxious never perceive it


But the patient waits and takes.






The kind hearted are always cherished


Their virtues envied


Their love savored with sweetness


But such hearts are rare to find.






Your kindness would forever resonate


The great and the small would honor you for it


But always the stories of your kindness


My lips would never cease to tell


(Written in Honor of Dillina Nnabuife)

THEY NEVER GO

Priced above rubies

Cherished above shining pearls

Treasured beyond Gold

Admired more than diamond stones

They are friends.



The impact of thunder fades away

The paths created by earthquakes would wither

Lands eroded by storms soon gain life

Houses pulled down by bulldozers, soon are re-constructed

But lost friends what can replace?



At-times when it seems like life has blown its worst

At-times when tears flow like rivers

At times when no one would ever understand

At times when living matters least

They are there.



They never get tired

They are never wearied

Their shoulders, though soaked in tears, never tired to receive more

Their ears, though bombarded with worries of a troubled friend, still receptive

They are real friends.



Take all the wealth away

Take all my possessions away

Take all that seems so tall and mighty

Take them all

But never take away the comfort of a true friend. Their memories would never go.



(Written to celebrate the value of real friends who have walked through my life)

THE PANGS OF GRATITUDE

It seems simple to offer
Common to receive the offer
Common parlance amongst beggars
Same among borrowers
It is thank you.

Little wonder the brace that comes
The joy it foretells
And the peace it dispels
Is clouded in commonness and seeming simpletude

But lo! Kindness is golden
Kindness is precious
Kindness is irreplaceable
Kindness is love with a human face.

Its twin brother is gratitude
Its closest relative is thankfulness
Its bosom friend is love itself
Its mother is GOD.

You have redefined kindness
You have made it available at moments least expected
I remain eternally indebted to you.
Gratitude cannot be simplified if it proceeds from gems like you.


(Written in contemplation of an undeserved display of kindness from a friend)