from a lepers point of view (maybe)

an exercise in imagination:


from a lepers point of view (maybe);


who do I say I am? unclean... well that is until this man one day. I warned him of my state... I warned him to stay away... my bell rang out to warn if he came too close he would get dirty. Until that day I was a leper.

As long as I can remember I've been this way. So dirty, so ashamed... no one will touch me. only children will look at me before they learn it's impolite.

for years I tried to hide my shame, but there's no way to hide it now... I wear my shame on my face. so now I ring my bell with pride... that's right, I'm a leper, that's just who I am. you better stay away...

well until that day with that man who didn't listen to me. Was he deaf? Did he have a death wish? didn't he know that I would make him unclean?

A touch that I will never forget and can't explain...


but you see the problem since then isn't the leprosy. It's gone.... but honestly there are days I still feel so unclean. You see it's who I was. Who I am? I knew my place in this world...

Now who am I? I'm clean? but what does that mean? some days I ring the bell for comfort. silly I know. some days ... most days, I sit outside the city gates. I feel more comfortable there. I struggle to not pull back when children reach out to touch me. then I remember...


Every time I look down at my hand and see the clean skin I hear his voice in my head "you are no longer unclean"

some days I believe it... some days I don't.