Small Miracles

By the time I turn on
our chrome plated kitchen tap
gleaming and polished to perfection,
observe a fountain of clear cold aqua
gushing uninterrupted into the basin
of our stainless steel sink,
fill a tall, slim crystal clean glass
with its contents to quench my thirst

a child in a foreign land
has sadly died
as a direct consequence
of drinking dirty mud coloured water
diseased and foul
from a cracked pitcher

I am reminded we take for granted
on a daily basis, without a thought,
what others would gladly extol.
What is freely available to us
is nothing short of a miracle to many.

Reviews

[Patricia Wedel]

Yes, dear Chris, we are fortunate; and now our World is blending with free Immigration… our Leaders must enforce Laws to keep our Country’s Water Clear and Clean…. No small Task. Our Leaders need a Wake-up Call which is Top Priority. Amen.,,, gently, Pat

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you for calling on this old poem Pat. We are so fortunate, clean water we take for granted and yet so many don't have it. Surely every country by now should have this without saying. Many thank yous. All good wishes.

Chris

[Patricia Wedel]

dear Chris, once again, I visit your poem... and realize that Life should be like a Clear Mountain Stream and protected... by all Countries. Prayers are Powerful , because they represent what we our Priorities should be. Be still and listen to the Whippoorwill. gently, Pat

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you dear Pat. Sending love across the waves.

Chris

[Carol Cashes]

Woo! Miss Christine! First, mad props to whatever you did to afford that clean and shiny kitchen! And you nailed a bitter truth, but filed the edges of your "jagged little pill" just enough that before one knew it...why they had absorbed and given thought to a topic you know too many merely *tsk*tsk'ed as they hurriedly read about it scrolling the news bytes on their phone before moving on to the next Hollywood gossip.

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you Carol. Good to have you visit.

Chris

[Jibey]

Not freely available, of course, and that's the problem. Our marketing cartels keep African goods off our shelves and undermine their ability to compete on world markets. Add to that corruption, and the ordinary person struggles to provide some of the basics.

Thank you for reminding us... we have much to be grateful for... and much that developing countries will do well to avoid.

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you Jibey. Yes we live in an unfair world. Not a fan of cartels I should add. You are spoiling me with your visits today and I am left smiling

Chris

[Jibey]

A little spoiling does a person no harm... I am encouraged by your smiles.

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you :))

[HadesRising]

Very well polished piece of writing. Well Done.

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you for the thoughts. Appreciated.

Chris

[Fairy Khan]

Such a powerful and thought evoking poem. I love it.

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you so much for your visit. Pleased to meet you on my page.

Chris

[Coyote Poetry]

I agree dear Chris.
"What is freely available to us
is nothing short of a miracle to many."
The above lines are true and I saw Africa starvation and lack of water with the medical teams in the Army. Powerful and useful words shared dear friend.
Coyote

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you for understanding these words first hand Coyote. Must appreciated.

Chrisread moreThank you for understanding these words first hand Coyote. Must appreciated.

Chris

[Coyote Poetry]

I did dear Chris and you are welcome.

[Fran Marie]

So true your words ..nothing short of a miracle..the comparison of the shining chrome kitchen cool aqua running water..to the child s
muddied water in a cracked pitcher..really brings out the. drastic difference for the reader to see..so well done Chris

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you so much for your lovely review Fran Marie. All good wishes to you.

Chris

[bigfootprint]

Love the sentiments. Cultured people pontificate on the perils of poverty, but mostly the effort fades before the progress. It's not wilderness living that is the problem, it is adults refusing to take responsibility for the ills. It takes poets like yourself to rebuke the uncaring for allowing those ills. It is so easy to take clean water for granted -- unless you don't have it. Lots of miracles hide in the secrets of science. The children suffer because it takes such a big slice of foreign aid to keep the dictators and sheiks languishing in Courvoisier, Rolls Royces, and palaces. Good work, Chris. -- Doug

[Chris Shaw]

Many thanks Doug for your very thoughtful response. It's been a while since we had contact. Hope all is good with you my friend.

Chris

[bigfootprint]

Yes thanks Chris. Just took a hiatus from all that brain wrinkling process. Feeling good these days. Hope all is well with you

[Chris Shaw]

All good with me and pleased to hear same for you Doug. All good wishes from across the pond.

[kentuck14]

Yes . . . it is good to count our blessings!! There are many in the world who go without . . . I am I am grateful for the aid organizations who drill wells to provide safe and clean water for these people. Our church has given generously to some of them.
T

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you for your visit Tom. All good wishes

Chris

[LitStar]

a dark earnest write

one that strikes like the chyme of a thousand catholic bells


-L.S

[Chris Shaw]

Many thanks LitStar for your visit. Pleased to meet you on my page. All good wishes.

Chris