EYES FOR EYES

EYES FOR EYES

Katie walked briskly into the nursing home,
eager to see Mrs. Malinsky again today.
She brought a new book that she was sure
the nearly blind old lady would like.

Still in high school, Katie became
a Candy-Striper, a helpmate to the nurses
who were sometimes too busy to give
that little extra care to the patients.

Mrs. Malinsky perked up when she heard
Katie's voice in the hallway, greeting
another patient with her cheery voice,
knowing Katie was on her way to see her.

She listened to Katie as she began reading
a wonderful book about the country she loved;
and Katie never stopped until she saw
that Mrs. Malinksy had drifted off to sleep.

She was glad that she could be her eyes,
and bring some happiness into her life.
Katie was running late, and hurried out,
heading home to study for next day's class.

She didn't see the truck, and the driver
didn't see the girl - until it was too late.
Brakes screamed but the impact threw the girl
into the air, landing twisted in the street.

The ambulance sped toward the hospital
with the girl fighting for her life;
rushing her inside, her parents notified
and on their way to the hosptial.

An angel died that day, the parents wept
as they signed the consent for Katie's eyes
and organs to be donated; a final gift
from the girl whose bright future was gone.

In another hospital, another young girl lay;
the operation almost completed, and time
alone would tell if she would be able to see
the world which had been black for so long.

A year later, Cassie drove to the nursing home,
where she had volunteered to become a reader
to those whose eyes had failed in old age;
She read to Mrs. Malinsky with Katie's eyes.

And up in Heaven, Katie smiled down on her
and all her pain was gone; she could see
all the beauty once again, for God had given
her eyes for eyes, and golden angel wings.

Countrymom
3/6/06

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