The Lie I Told
I was walking toward a local shop,
when I felt a tug on my sleeve
What I saw made me stop
I knew I wouldn't get to leave.
A little girl, in tears stood there,
she didn't look to be very old.
I noticed that her feet were bare,
the ground beneath her feet was cold.
In her hand she held a five dollar bill.
and asked me how much it would buy.
Today, I knew it wouldn't buy nil.
But, I could not let her continue to cry.
I asked her what she was looking for?
Did she have something in mind?
She said that her family was poor.
There was no extra money to find.
She had sold her shoes earlier.
to buy her little sister a sweater.
Five dollars was what was given to her.
To buy a sweater for cold weather.
I looked into her big wistful eyes.
Trying to decide what to do.
I know it is not right to tell lies.
What I would tell her, just a bit untrue.
I said, five dollars was enough to buy,
a sweater and a pair of new shoes.
Anything to help her, I would try.
Her job was to look and choose.
The smile she gave radiated the sun.
Found a store, where what she needed, was sold.
Proudly she paid the bill, claiming it was fun.
Happily, she ran away, unaware of the lie I told.
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