The story the old rabbi told about herald angels preceding people down the street calling, "Make way for the Image of God" has stuck with me since I read it in the Forward, in 1995. I thought it was appropriate to print it in here, as the young man in the poem has refused clemency and will be executed in May, 6 years after I wrote the poem.
Image of God,"
the Herald Angels cry.
The tired old man shuffles his
way to the soup kitchen.
Image of God,"
the Herald Angels cry.
Joyfully bouncing along, the child
skips his way to school.
Image of God,"
the Herald Angels cry.
Twirling, swirling the young girl
dances her way to her date.
Image of God,"
the Herald Angels cry.
Juggling her baby and bags, the mother
wends her way home.
Image of God,"
the Herald Angels cry.
The dad laughs and shouts with his son
on the way to the zoo.
Image of God,"
the Herald Angels cry.
An old woman mumbles and murmurs
her way to nowhere.
Image of God,"
the Herald Angels cry.
Wild-eyed, the bearded young man
shouts epithets on his way.
Image of God,"
the Herald Angels cry.
Grandma and babe, laughing and singing,
skip along their way.
Image of God,"
the Herald Angels cry.
The clean-cut young man accused of the bombing
marches away.
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