What Lies Beneath

How do we know what lies beneath the skin

as we pass a stranger on the street?

Perhaps we have no wheelchair to remind us

that there is more to this person than we see

we may assume as we hear him speak

that he is the same as we

but there is so much more, something with the eyes,

that doesn’t tell us who he is, what struggles he faces

what can we know, what should we know,

it matters not that there may be more,

for we should smile just as much to everyone

we should care as much about everyone

we should help everyone till everyone’s needs are met

No matter what lies beneath.