Thursday, June 17, 2010

JERICHO TRAVELER (Luke 10:25-37)





WHEN HE STARTED OUT HE WASN'T POOR

OR HURT

OR MAIMED

OR SULLEN FACED

WITH A LAUGH AND A WHISTLE HE'D STARTED OUT

WITH A LAUGH AND A WHISTLE AND A HAPPY AIR

THEN WHAT HAPPENED ON THE JOURNEY

WHAT BROUGHT HIM TO THIS PLACE

WHAT BLEW THE CANDLE OUT

SO THAT HIS EYE REFLECTS THE SUN

BUT LETS NONE COME IN

WHO TOOK THE AIR HE BREATHED AND MADE IT FOUL

WHO MUFFLED SONG BIRDS EARLY SONG

WHO CRIED OUT "NIGGER" IN THE NIGHT

WHO CUT HIS BRAIN WITH MANY SCARS

WHO THEN COMPLAINED WHEN ANGER CAME

WHO LISTENED WHEN HIS CHILDREN CRIED

RAT BITTEN IN A COCKROACH BED

WHO CARED WHEN THOSE SAME CHILDREN DIED

LAID TO REST IN SEGREGATED BED

WHO TOOK THE BRIGHT PROMISE OF HIS FACE

AND CHISELED OFF HIS SMILE

WHO TOOK THE LAUGHTER FROM HIS LIPS

AND CANDLE FROM HIS EYE

WHO PRAYED FOR HIM WHEN HE BEGGED FOR BREAD

WHO GAVE HIM BREAD WHEN HE WANTED LOVE

WHO STOPPED LOVING HIM WHEN HE MISBEHAVED

WHO TAUGHT HIM VIOLENCE AND WAR

WHO CRIED WITH HIM WHEN LONELINESS

CAME CREEPING IN LIKE EVENING FOG

WHO DUG THOSE FURROWS IN HIS BROW

WHO CARVED THOSE LINES OF LONELINESS

WHO TAUGHT HIM BITTERNESS AND HATE

AND THAT BROTHERHOOD'S A LIE



WHO.. WHO...

OH HELL... WHO GIVES A DAMN



FRANK A VOLLMER

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