Holding the golden ring in his hand,
Away he threw the glittering band;
Quietly the lad at his knee asked
It's so pretty why did you it cast?
The old man quietly thus replied
It's flawed no longer shining with pride;
A tear slides down the tiny tot's face,
He limped away on the cold iron brace.
Alone he walked down the dark alley
No shining spirit could he rally.
The diamond ring tossed because it's flawed
Into the trash the little boy clawed.

Tossed in the gutter with mud and muck
Like a dirty old hag's faceless luck,
A band of glistening gold not tarnished
With sparkling diamonds it's still garnished.
Thrown at the stooped homeless lady's feet
Still she sleeps on the iron grate's low heat;
She wakens to the mourning doves coo,
Warming sun rising into the blue;
With joy she greets the day of hunger
Wishing just once to feel much younger;

The homeless lady in rising sun
Ambles the alley the cops to shun;
Kneeling in raven shadows to pray
Thanking God for the bounty this day;
With ragged clothes she still has a smile
For she dwells on a paradise isle;
She hums the tune to her favorite hymn
Dreaming of warm gulf waters to swim;
Strolling to her special dining bin,
She climbs on the box scraping her shin.

Deep inside she hears a weeping sound,
Frantically digging a wee lad found;
The dirty tear stain face touched her heart
Why the garbage a question to start?
Sitting side him in smelly trash bin,
His little body ever so thin;
Tilting his dirty face to her eyes
She asked the horrible unknown whys.
Grandpa tossed the pretty ring away
One diamond was gone it could not stay.

Her aching heart weeps feeling his pain,
Ice water runs in the old man's vein.
Softly a child's lullaby she sings
To calm the tiny heart's sobbing stings.
Soothed by her gentle and caring ways
Thus warm in her ragged lap he lays,
Weakly his voice whispers see my brace
Flawed like the diamond I'm in my place.
In the quietest voice she simply prays,
Asking for words his spirit to raise.

Taking the boy's face in her tired hands
She prays the words are enough to span
The dark abyss of his hurting soul,
Damaged by those in protective role;
She speaks of Father's eternal love
The Son's visit on earth from above;
His little arms around her neck entwine
Her aged heart glows with a halo's shine;
Her mind pondering the small child's plight
A victim of societies blight;

Saving the wee soul haunts the day's light
A damaged leg his flaw, he took flight;
The words 'flawed' and 'tossed' to his mind spoke,
Echoing loud how bad he was broke;
The tiny lad and the homeless one
Sat in the garbage warmed by the Son;
Secure for the time love was alive
Each bruised by humans how would they thrive?
The noisy trash bin, cops came to see
Took all to the precinct for their plea;

A kindly sergeant offered them tea
The lady sipped, the lad ate like three;
The nice officer heard his small voice
Tears in his words he told of his choice;
His grandpa tossed the flawed golden ring
Would he be next his grandpa to fling?
Child services came to take him away
He clung to the hag screaming I'll stay;
A homeless hag with abounding love
The lad held under her wing like a dove.

A room found for the unlikely pair
Time enough to sort out the square;
The basic necessities appeared
The residue from the garbage cleared;
The time of reckoning was so near
Those involved sat willing to hear;
The tragic story slowly unfolds
Society's judges do uphold;
The nice lady now the boy's nanny.
The lad's joyous voice calls her granny.