In Service: Note to "Sir Vice"

Editor's Note:  Writers were asked to respond to the theme of "service' as part of Studio B Art Gallery's "In Service" project sponsored by a grant from the Berks County Community Foundation.

Service…Sir Vice?
     ~ by Kathy Kirk*

To lead,
indeed,
But not
Impede
The paths of those
Who follow.

To speak,
Be meek
And do not seek
To let your words
Seem hollow.

For service is as service does…
Tend to the needs of others.

But Sir, Vice can steal the very souls
Of sisters and of brothers.

There are a lot of folks around us who are dedicated servants. People who give without wanting anything in return. These people save lives, put out fires, protect the community, teach others & so much more. They deserve all the credit & respect that can possibly be given.

However, as I pondered this topic, I couldn’t help but be overwhelmed by the number of our body politic who are there to only serve themselves. Elected officials who do not seem to understand the meaning of “Civil Servant” and are using their positions to benefit only themselves, their families & a handful of friends, often at the expense of the ones who believed their lies, trusted them & voted for them.

That being said, sitting outside under a hazy sky, viewing the lush green around me, listening to the birds & trickle of the stream, this poem came into being.

* Kathy Kirk woman, wife, mom, gram, sister, friend, teacher, traveller, out-of-doors lover, crafty…

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