The Light That Leads Me There

I have slept in cold and lonely places
With no comfort but the ground
I’ve walked for years seeking gentle faces
Just a smile, a friendly sound
But I’ve felt the bruise of fist and stone
Where cold laughter rang out high
And I’ve stumbled on, wounded to the bone
Holding tears back from my eye
Still I shall find my way
And I will know my people
They’ll embrace me with deep care
You see my aching search for loving kindness
Is the light that leads me there
I’m told my face is an ugly sight
That I’m quite the fearsome fool
Little children turn and run in fright
Their parents just are cruel
But I’ll tell you now, that inside me here
Is a soul so sweet and soft
If for one brief second you came that near
You never would run off
I’ve seen many things on this brutal earth,
The horrific and the sweet
From the way that violence tumbles forth
To the flowers at my feet
And I’ve pondered as I’ve wandered
On the mystery of man
Why does such a privileged creature squander
All the gifts that he commands?
(Based on The Ugly Duckling — Hans Christian Andersen)