Charitable Thoughts of William Tell’s Boy

The apple sits
upon my head,
just so;
I hold my breath
to steady it,
there. Oh,

I am too young
to be a martyr;

I have trees
to climb, apples
to throw, woods
to explore;

martyrs
have no fun
between the pages
of history books,
ten score;

rather,
I should go on
with my life
as an unknown boy,

give the glory
to my Father;
for him,
it would mean
much, much more.

Maria Ilse Birnkammer

Maria Ilse Birnkammer lives in Huntingtown, Maryland with the youngest two of her five children. Director of the Calvert County Literacy Council, she is looking forward to their new Prison Poetry Program to begin Fall 2005. She stays busy taking classes, tutoring adults, teaching cello, gardening and writing. She has had several other poems published in and outside of Maryland.