Orphan and Donkey by Richard Brown

I.
The cold, grey dawn
hidden by a leaden veil
settles on the jagged cliffs.

The chill, wet wind
rushes down the rocky pass
bending scrubby juniper over the brink.

up the winding trail
trudges the lonely orphan
wrapped in tattered wool.

Behind him, frightened,
the nervous donkey carries
a day’s worth of firewood.

II.
Aimlessly waiting along the ridge
silent, hairy, unwashed men
with stolen daggers in their belts.

Their cooking fire sputters
it smolders in the dampness
as the drizzle turns to snow.

Now the path begins to whiten
memorizing the steps as
the icy grip begins to close.

It is freezing in Jerusalem
the harvest is long over
the winter not yet past.

III.
Once there was a mother
once a father too, now
only the donkey remains a friend.

Everyday together, loading firewood
sold in the open market,
to huddle close one more day.

Now the unplanned rendezvous
the fated baiting of life
awaits the boy and beast.

The grins on their faces
are terrible and forever
as they circle two desperate friends.

IV.
Rough hands shove and push
while others grab the tether
he sees the donkey fade.

Just a moment in someone’s time
tears are useless now
the deed is done eternal.

Too late! Too late!
the holy man prays,
they have taken the orphan’s donkey.

The snow now covers an urchin
covers the huddling orphan
and fills the empty streets.

Richard Brown is the retired CEO of the Charlotte White Center, a comprehensive social service agency serving adults and children facing such life challenges as mental illness, developmental disabilities, acquired brain injuries, physical handicaps, and domestic violence. He holds a Master’s Degree in the Education of the Severely Handicapped from the University of Maine. He is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor, Licensed Social Worker, Certified Rehabilitation Counselor, Qualified Brain Injury Specialist, Registered Maine Guide, Maine Master Naturalist, and has been an EMT-Paramedic in Maine for over thirty-five years. He and his wife currently reside in Dresden, Maine.