
An old man once told me
I was blind.
But I could see!
He told me I could see the birds
The flowers
The trees.
But I was blind to their beauty.
And their wings
Their petals
Their leaves.
So I watched the birds, the flowers, the trees.
And I watched the beauty of the Earth
Roll past my eyes
it warmed my heart.
My soul.

I went back to the old man
To tell him of my warmth
"You are still blind", said he
"You have seen the beauty in others
But not in yourself".

                       E. Van Riper  07/24/83
