A blessing in hand is worth more than silver and gold

The woman is blessed

Invented her own style

Has no close connections

With men on Wall Street

You see her on the street,

Corner of Broadway and 42nd

Making strides in the concrete jungle

Where people hardly ever stop and stare

Instead, there she is

Beneath a gigantic and tattered hat

Hair unkempt, in coils, like dry leaves

And the smile on her face

Tell it like she got bills in the bank

Every cell in her body

Seems to curve along with her smile

And her radiant face beams

Like sunshine in the morning

Psst! Hey you! Could you turn that excitement low?

She thought someone would call and say

But who has time anyway?

To holler at a lady in low heels?

Edges of her sleeves

Are lose hanging threads

And her skirt and top 
Yes, they do mismatch

Did I hear you ask about her shoes?

Ha! Those are not a pair!

But she stands tall

As you stare

She stands unshaken

Better yet, as you ignore

Try to ask her if she's fine

And she yells back, FANTASTIC!

As if this were the day

That she would finally get

To tell you the tale behind her unspeakable joy

She looks right through you

But neither you

Even know why she glows

Underneath her very rugged appearance

You look down

At your shiny, perfectly symmetrical shoes

And you think to yourself,

Didn't anyone tell her that she needs a reason

Like a house she owns, matching clothes,

Tanned or toned skin, sheen of fashion,

Bank accounts like the galaxies, always expanding

To feel so high, so excited, so joyous?

But the glint in her, speaks loud to you

Asking you questions like

Who are you?

How do you justify you?

What makes you, you?

What makes you truly happy?

The glint in  her eyes, speaks louder to you

Who made you, you?

How do you justify you?

What makes you, you?

What context gave you, you?

The glint in her being, speaks loudest to you

Who are you?

How do you justify you?

What makes you, you?

Why are you even here?

So you get the hint
More like the message

That she does not long for more than

The breath in her and the Creator that gives it

So you get the hint
More like the message

That she longs for nothing

More than the masterpiece that God made her

Because truly, the masterpiece that she is

Is a blessing in hand

A blessing in hand, that is worth more  than silver and gold!

By Trudy Bartels

11/9/2013