This “poem” was published by Gisela Raines in a sermon of hers on the Preaching the Revised Common Lectionary email discussion group.  She took it a book by Ivor Smith-Cameron entitled Pilgrimage, an Exploration into God. The poem was written by  Derek Tasker and printed on a Christmas card.  At the end of this post you will find a link to one of Tasker’s books on Amazon.com.

I Wonder
I wonder what would happen if
I treated everyone like I was in love
with them, whether I like them or not 
and whether they respond or not and no matter
what they say or do to me and even if I see
things in them which are ugly twisted petty
cruel vain deceitful indifferent, just accept
all that and turn my attention to some small
weak tender hidden part and keep my eyes on
that until it shines like a beam of light
like a bonfire I can warm my hands by and trust
it to burn away all the waste which is not
never was my business to meddle with.

- Derek Tasker

Letters To An Apprentice by Derek Tasker Read more about this title…