SENSE

For Uraeus

Well-meaning people
aunts uncles cousins
odd people on the street
keep trying to explain
to my nephew
--grand in his vision--
that helping people
is not a career path
that compassion
does not build a portfolio
that his good heart
will leave him penniless
homeless with a mouth
full of pity for meat
they want him to
be ambitious
to pursue the Dream
own a home
with panoramic views
on poverty, homelessness
and not be touched by it
only see it in 3D
"do good" sounds right
on a college application
but even admissions officers
know to wink at it, to not
take it seriously, they say

but I and his mother
that warrior-heart of a woman
bring minority report
remind him that 
Condoleezza Rice--little
Birmingham baby born
in the middle of 1950s madness--
was the only child of her mother, too
studied military policy
politics, Soviet Union
endings, ballet
and classical piano
it made no Alabama sense
but look where it took her
follow your dreams, son
Step from behind the
bank accounts of
bankrupt people
watch the world up close
let it break your heart
it doesn't ever
have to make
sense
to anyone
not even you
but somebody
needs to want
to help
somebody
else
it might as
well be
you

© Valerie Bridgeman
June 25, 2013