Signs

Continued from Fairytale

April 15, 2019

“…but this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel: After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they will be my people…” Jeremiah 31:33

Now, there were those

in that old-forgotten land,

who by way

of life’s experience

had come to learn

a thing or two

about themselves

and of life in general.

But mostly they kept quiet,

for fear of ridicule and retribution; but most could (so they had learned)

with just a glance—know.

And so it was that the princess decided to go out one morning and seek others;

because of all human needs,

the need to connect socially—is perhaps the strongest need of all.

She had a great love for humanity

(as any true princess does)

and wanted the best for her country.

So she put on her favorite color,

(forgetting all else)

and went out for a walk in the city.

“Good day!” She exclaimed to the first person she met.

“What’s so good about it? What

right have you to say so? And

can’t you see that I am suffering?”

At this, the pedestrian pointed to a sign that read Suffering

She, slightly ashamed, turned and walked away.

Meanwhile, high up in a tree, a bird sang merrily.

She looked up and took heart.

“Hello!” She passed a young couple who

wore the saddest of expressions.

He held up a sign which

read Anxious and she Lonely.

Neither said a word.

A new law

recently passed.

Admittedly, she

knew nothing of it,

therefore,

she had no sign of her own.

It was then she saw

a lovely grey-haired woman

sitting

on a park bench

with a sign

that read Hope.

Hope was all but lost in this forgetful country—but here,

quietly, assuredly—hope sat smiling

as the princess approached, “May I sit with you, ma’am?”

“You may, but I must warn you: it is dangerous to sit with me”

No sooner

had the princess

stepped forward

when an angry-mob

of angry-people wearing signs that read:

Anger Hate Envy Evil

followed by

Suffering

with Anxious and Lonely standing by; watching

not saying a word–

Hope never took her eyes off the princess.

“Seize her!” they cried “She refuses to wear her sign!” they snarled

“She is a friend to our enemy”

they growled

in a voice so low

as to make the hair

on the back

of your neck stand on end…

“Well well well what have we here?”

In walked Fear dressed-up as the law enforcer.

“Breaking OUR laws are we?”

In her heart

she felt

the first pangs of ignorance

like a cut

from the paper

on which

these laws were written–

Her eyes dropped.

Fear smiled.

“Look at me, dear”

And there was Hope

still smiling, still gazing

into the eyes of the princess.

But the people screamed “TRAITOR!”

They grabbed

at the princess,

tore at her hair

and ripped her dress

After a moment

Fear commanded them to stop

“Enough! I’ll deal with her in my own way…You are under-arrest by Order of the Leader!”

“Resist not evil…” whispered Hope as

Fear bound the princess

and forced her away

through the city streets.

On the way to the prison

a rather large crowd gathered-

each one proudly wearing his sign.

To be continued….