A Child Shall Lead Them

The wolf shall live with the lamb,

the leopard shall lie down with the kid,

the calf and the lion and the fatling together,    

and a little child shall lead them. 
Isaiah 11:6

The swing in the schoolyard –empty.

The prom dress in the closet hangs still.

The extra car keys on the key hooks unused.

The concert selfie on the dresser remains;

the church directory with pictures and names,

the Batman Poster at the theatre entertains.

How often has innocence been broken

while adults in charge give verbal tokens

of thoughts and prayers that go nowhere?

Rising like a Phoenix

from Las Vegas ashes,

from the empty schoolyards,

from the halls of Parkland

a child now leads

and children born of blood

take on adult indifference

and champion love.

Halls of Congress

will be filled with children

their innocence forever broken.

A child will speak

but will it matter

while the winter wind

pushes the vacant swing?

 February 20, 2018

By Rev. Kenneth R. Storck

May be reprinted or shared

with attribution of authorship.