Dying From the Cold Within 639.1
One of the great challenges to our humanity is acknowledging and overcoming our natural tendency to think less of and discriminate against people who are different from us racially, ethnically, religiously, or ideologically.
Despite persistent rhetoric about prizing diversity, political debates often reflect disdain and contempt for those we disagree with, and prejudices of all sorts are more readily stated. Indeed, there are disturbing signs that anti-Muslim, anti-Semitic, and anti-Catholic attitudes are rising throughout the world.
James Patrick Kinney wrote the following poem, “The Cold Within,” to remind us of what’s at stake:
Six humans trapped by happenstance,
In black and bitter cold.
Each one possessed a stick of wood,
Or so the story’s told.
Their dying fire in need of logs,
The first woman held hers back,
For on the faces around the fire,
She noticed one was black.
The next man looking ’cross the way
Saw one not of his church,
And couldn’t bring himself to give
The fire his stick of birch.
The third one sat in tattered clothes;
He gave his coat a hitch.
Why should his log be put to use
To warm the idle rich?
The rich man just sat back and thought
Of the wealth he had in store,
And how to keep what he had earned
From the lazy, shiftless poor.
The black man’s face bespoke revenge
As the fire passed from his sight,
For all he saw in his stick of wood
Was a chance to spite the white.
And the last man of this forlorn group
Did naught, except for gain.
Giving only to those who gave,
Was how he played the game.
The logs held tight in death’s still hands
Was proof of human sin.
They didn’t die from the cold without.
They died from the cold within.
This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts.
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Comments
Thank you so much for the poem, "The Cold Within." I love it so much that I will share it with all of my contacts. I love your spirit.
Posted by: David J. Huff, Sr. | October 2, 2009 11:18 AM
My heartfelt thanks go out to you and your organization for your efforts. Ethics are the bedrock of truly human interaction, and regardless of the many transgressions of this basic reality, it's the power of ethical integrity and its benefactor, trust, which has brought us so far on this orbiting rock. I for one thank all of you.
Posted by: Jeffrey A Michaels | October 2, 2009 7:05 PM
Even though I disagree with Gov. Patterson's austerity for educational funding and I recognize the Democratic party's need to win as the basis for Obama's stance, I applaud Gov. Patterson's strength of character in refusing to acquiesce to opinion and his decision to seek reelection as Governor of New York. In my opinion, this circumstance has given me further insight into character and political strategy that was previously centered in the expression of brotherhood and ethnic pride and is now even more complex. If you can, please respond to this paradigm, because we understand their character, and America can win too, if a black man continues to compete and unites all the good forces of the world. And oh yes, I've historically voted for sound ideas and principles in government, regardless of their racial identity. No, I'm not a saint, and neither were the fathers of our nation. See NY Post 10/02/09
Posted by: Kevin O. Grier | October 3, 2009 4:41 AM
The poem is most indicative of the hell we create for ourselves, and others, when we fear connection. Bless you and thank you for sharing.
Posted by: Kathleen | October 3, 2009 4:48 PM
Hmmmm - I saw a bit of myself in this poem. "The rich man just sat back and thought Of the wealth he had in store, And how to keep what he had earned From the lazy, shiftless poor." Now - I'm not rich, and in this situation I would have put in my stick, but what has me searching my heart is: I work hard and earn all that I have. Am I wrong to have negative view of the lazy and shiftless? And I don't mean poor - even the rich can be lazy and shiftless.
Posted by: Paulette | October 9, 2009 6:16 AM
I love this poem and have shared it with my middle school students. But what I see as most distressing is the anti-Christianity that is permeating our society.
Posted by: Tamara | October 9, 2009 6:58 AM
I love this poem and the sad art is it speaks for our society today. After traveling around the world and returning to the states, it's so sad when they see color. When we travel abroad, all they see is an American.
Posted by: Lisa | October 16, 2009 9:03 PM
Great poem. Sometimes we all need to be reminded of the small ways we our self-destructive one thought at a time...
Posted by: Ken McGuire | October 19, 2009 3:40 PM
Hatred eats at the perpetrator. It's like taking poison and expecting the one we hate to die.
Posted by: Barbara | November 13, 2009 5:32 AM
This poem, unfortunately, describes the environment in this country, especially in the Congress.
The U.S. is so far out of balance because of the attitudes expressed in this poem. It's a must-read for everyone.
Posted by: Deborah | February 7, 2010 3:20 PM