The Man with the Zippered Heart

 There once was a man with a zipper on his heart.

He was kind and gentle and warm from the start.

He gave out pieces of his heart to the sad,

The lonely, the hurting, the pained, and the mad.

Each piece that he gave made each burden lighter,

He helped the weak feel strong, the sad ones brighter.

But as he gave and he helped and he saved,

His heart dwindled into an empty cave.

The people he helped went along their way,

But nobody stopped to listen to him say,

"The pieces of my heart and all that I give,

are pieces of me and the love I live. 

I gave what I had to the sorrowful and weak, 

but the love they had for me was bleak."

You see, he didn't require that much. Just a hug

or a handshake or a gentle touch.

The cave in his heart grew sad and empty,

It needed a boost and good news a plenty.

Little Faye was sad and asked for a piece, 

but the man said "I'm sorry, the pieces have ceased."

Faye turned around and lowered her her head,

She felt empty inside, her soul wasn't fed.

She turned around and met his eyes,

He looked tired and sad, much to her surprise.

She grabbed his hand and whispered in his ear,

"Remember that time you told me not to fear?

I was afraid of the dark, of the ghosts and monsters,

But you taught me to be brave, my strength to

foster. "

She told him about his love that he gave,

How he helped her learn to fight and be brave.

Down the way came a man with a smile,

To talk with the man, to chat for awhile.

He told the man stories of his successes,

He thanked him again, for his love that had blessed him.

The cave in his heart started to swell,

And fill with delight to hear them tell,

The wonderful stories of how he had helped,

The pain he healed as they cried and they

yelped.

Faye unzipped her heart, reached in and said,

"You gave me strength and my soul was fed.

Please pass along this piece of my heart,

To a soul that needs it, to do my part."

The smiling man reached into his heart, 

Pulled out a piece before he'd depart.

"Please take this piece for someone in need,

For my piece was cherished and my burdens

freed. "

The man with the zippered heart was

overjoyed,

The sweet stories of their lives filled that void.

Down the path came friends from before,

The ones that he helped heal and restore.

One by one they sat and they gave,

Thank yous and stories of how he had saved.

Little by little his heart grew more,

The stories they told, he truly adored.

The man with the zippered heart was healed,

By the ones who had suffered, who wanted, who feared.

They came to him for help and care,

But with their thanks, his heart was repaired.

He asked them all to do him a favor,

To think of others, to be like their Savior.

For Jesus is his reason for giving,

His example of service, of loving, of living.

To pay it forward, to listen and to love,

To think of others like our brother above.