Not Answering the Question

"Is it lawful to pay taxes, pray?"

The Teacher didn't say.

Instead he asked them, let him see

the coin, so they and he could know

to whom it should be given.

 

So now a judge is asked to say

"Define a woman," doesn't say;

wisely suggests they look instead

at what is known and what perceived

and learn what they believe.

 

What of the babies born who don't

appear as boy or girl? What God

left undefined, should man decide

or wait until the child rescinds 

the lonely "I don't know"?

 

What of the babies born so changed

that science has no gender-name?

Should faith or law decide for them

or science, or just wait again;

allow an "I don't know"?

 

And if the child's appearance might

be "wrong" and if their DNA

might give no answer, surely they,

and others too, are "neither"; we’ve

no right to choose or say.

So ask the judge if that you will.

It's not her choice. It isn't mine.

It isn't yours; it's God's, and he

might ask to see the coin, then speak

in love. Will we agree?