Holy Card

A favorite picture, a holy card,

Become defaced with glue.

I tried to mend what had been scarred

Restore beauty once true.

I realized the picture was

An “imaged-good” in me.

Restoring that image would cause,

Change to tranquility. 

Oh, worldly wise, let us learn

Contentment, peace and joy.

To fill those voids that always yearn--

The virtues do employ. 

One might begin with self-denial:

Feelings are often blind.

Satisfaction shouldn’t be a trial;

Better, a state of mind.

We are but cards, not fully seen,

Defaced, scrubbed, distorted;

Our value hardly recognized,

True selves often thwarted.

 A smile, kind word, a bit of help,

Can make the change we need.

For in our hearts we each carry,

Tender love as a seed.