Tired Of Smiling

​Tired of Smiling
 
Generally, I walk through this world
with an appreciative smile.
Happy to be breathing in the earth’s air.
As of late, this has become harder
as I watch and see what is going on
in this world all around me.
 
Read in our local news
a local synagogue had their windows broken
in the show of the night
by a hidden, cowardly person.
Leaving holes in this sacred place
that means so much too many
who visit for their faith.
How can they feel safe now?
 
Walking around our city in the cold season,
seeing ones who do not have a home,
without those heated walls and beds.
Every winter season there seems to be more
living outside finding places to stay warm.
Hoping for doses of hot food.
How do they have the spirit to stay alive?
 
Hearing stories of an overcrowded hospital
with understaffed caregivers.
Precious patients lining the hallways,
laying in delicate conditions,
Feeling alone and scared,
taking longer to heal.
How are they to feel cared for?
 
The weight of all I am seeing
is resting squarely on me
causing changes in my emotions.
The calm demeanour is shifting
and it is showing on my face.
Tired of faking and smiling.
 
February 8, 2024
©Andrew Scott – Just a Maritime Boy 2024