A Justice Poem I Wrote in 2015

Hi everyone. I wrote this poem and description in 2015 and it was featured here on my friend and fellow writer Virginia's blog, along with a link for International Justice Mission. Read the poem in situ on her blog here, or here in this post.

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Turtle (Fellow) (Wo)Man, a Poem by Abigail Munday

I have to avoid her,

that reptilian captive:
She's world suffering to me.
A caged girl in Mumbai,

a tomato-picking slave in Florida,
Tied in the back of a truck at night.
All that's wrong in the world--
Right there in that shallow glass tank.
I try to avoid her;

I walk a different road to
Get where I need to go,

Where I want to go.
Where I can go.

(Where she can't go.)
I don't want to see her.
She's clawing at the glass,

a thin line of water

keeping her afloat--
Holding her chin up,

a little air to choke on.
Right in front of that

beige house—in their driveway,

up against the front wall,
Just there, for everyone to not see.

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A note from Abigail: This poem is my prayer for justice. Justice now, not just in eternity. We live in Japan, and in our neighborhood there is a turtle in a glass tank continually clawing to get out. There is nothing for her to stand on, so she is constantly floating and trying to escape. Just sitting outside by herself. Because I already have a heart for justice, seeing her brought to mind so much that is wrong in the world. The poem might seem disheartening, but I am bolstered by Revelation 22:1-5, and in particular this verse from that passage: "The leaves of the Tree are for healing the nations."

A note from Virginia: The moment I met Abigail at church here in Florida a few years ago, I knew she was a kindred spirit, a soul sister. I was so sad when she and her family moved to Japan last year. She posted this on Facebook today and kindly gave me the permission to share it with you.