Gravel

As I crawled through a valley of misery and strife,

the defenseless and the damned called out to me

in a cry for help.

But, already on my knees and hands,

I could not reach out to grasp theirs.

All I could do was look them in their eyes.

I felt the gravel bite my flesh -

the same rocks and stones that covered their roads

and tore their souls apart.

But without obligation from family or friendship,

I stumbled on, forever leaving the gravel to crumble,

and my guilt to pile up.