CHILDREN AT PLAY

CHILDREN AT PLAY

Time freezes as it watches children at play
Music listens to their symphony of laughter
While friendship dances wit its enemies
Malice and ambition melt away in shame
To give way to the rapture of pure joy
A fellowship in the ecstasy of innocence
When the poor become the wealthy
And the weak are turned into the mighty
A band of angels just left the heavens
Turning this earth into a paradise again.



Commentary:


This poetograph is a tribute to our children.  In the Philippines, the third Sunday of January has always been the celebration of the Sto. Nino, the baby Jesus.  This feast which is proper to the Philippines led to the festivals such as Sinulog, Dinagyang and Ati-atihan. 

In the gospel this Sunday Jesus said "Unless you become little children, you will not enter the Kingdom " (Mt. 18:3) and "Whoever makes himself lowly, becoming like this child, is of greater importance in that heavenly reign" (Mt. 18:4).


The photo was taken in one of our parish missions in Badian, Philippines.  When I saw this group of children playing along the beach, as if I saw a vision of heaven on earth.  I took a photo of their hands which speak so much joy and wisdom that the poem could hardly capture....