The most hurtful part of the theft, besides the breach of trust, was the loss of the sentimental items that were among them.
I originally wrote this poem in 2013 after I had thousands of dollars worth of belongings stolen from me by a male friend who lived in another state, a six-hour flight away from where I lived. I tried my best to get justice, to no avail.
I have twigged the original wording of this poem after I had money stolen from my online bank account by a con woman. For a moment I was angry and I found it hard to accept that there are people who steal from fellow human beings, who have done them no wrong. But then I remember the days when I was a prison chaplain and that the prisons were full of thieves and criminals. If not imprisoned physically, thieves are imprisoned in their selfishness and greed.
What lesson did I learn from these thefts? Be very careful who you trust, be it a friend or an employee of a trusted company. I also learnt how to let go of the disappointment and loss. Beverley Joy.
Listen HERE – Poem – The Thief
Those of us who love instead of hate
Who are kind and do not hurt
Who give and do not steal
Who does what is right instead of wrong.
We are angry and sad because someone has chosen
To steal from another who has done them no wrong.
I am angry because the thief has stolen
Belonging precious and of value to me
A pathetic leech is a thief
Who has stolen also from himself.
Stolen his dignity and integrity
Stolen his acceptance within society
Stolen her respect and love from others
Stolen and cursed her future.
Music, clothes, shoes and jewellery
Books, trinkets, a private diary
Should be with the one who loves and treasures them.
Theft can be painfully invisible
Stolen identity through social media
Stolen cash by online fraud
Stolen reputation through lies and deception.
Most things can be replaced, and the fond memory stays
But theft leaves the memory stained from greed and ill-gain.
The thief says “I have gained”
But she doesn’t understand
Now forever on the run
From the law and predators.
The thief sits in the mud of selfishness
Surrounded by belongings muddy with sin
They can never be clean and healed
‘Til they seek forgiveness.
But the victim will heal from the wounds of theft
Healed by the love of family and friends
Healed by the desire to move on from this
Healed by the lessons learnt within.
While the thief scratches around in the cage of crime
The victim forgives and sours up high
In love, inner peace and freedom
A victor by inner strength and wisdom.
Opposites exist side by side in this world of ‘give and take’
Our paths cross for but a moment
Good and bad, dark and light
Threads stitched in the tapestry of life.
I continue to walk in the sunshine of life
But for the thief, the sun has set behind the shadow of crime
Love never stops flowing to us
It is people who choose to stop the flow of love.
Beverley Joy © 2022 of Simply Story Poetry. All Rights Reserved.
You can listen to all my poems on several podcast platforms HERE
Photo by Marc-Olivier Jodoin on Unsplash
Simply Story Poetry 
Leave a comment