You are not God but you can be an angel

War veteran speaking of love and compassion to grandson

You are not God but can be an angel

You are not God

But---

You can be an angel,

Of mercy and kindness,

Towards the deprived,

Said one-eyed grandpa,

A  wounded war veteran,

To his crying grandson;

How?

Asked the orphan,

By being gentle with the,

God’s gentle creatures,

Roaming His diverse Kingdom,

Replied the dying man;

I will, said the child,

Stop hitting the squirrels,

And pigeons;

Do not stop there, my son,

Said the grandfather,

A brave soldier who fought

For honour and freedom,

Talk sweetly to the elderly,

The street urchins and others,

That need only a warm hug and a smile,

Spread cheer in lonely lives,

And, my dear son,

Wipe away the tears of a child,

Sitting alone,

On a wintry night,

Outside

The steps of a cathedral,

Synagogue,

Mosque,

Or, a temple,

Because God sees you

Through those brimming

Innocent eyes;

I will,

Said the sobbing child,

What else?

O, Dear,

Just remember,

Stop hating others,

Because hate destroys

Not them but

Ultimately you as well,

And, never ever,

Hurt others by cruel words,

More lethal than the guns,

And that was the last sermon

Given by the tough

Battle-hardened forgotten soldier

To a sensitive child, wide-eyed,

Sitting near the bed, a dark room,

In a gloomy run-down house,

That could not be maintained on

Little government pension.