THERE WERE MULTITUDES OF FLOWERS AND FOREST GREEN,
RADIATING YELLOW, RED AND ORANGE IN A VELVET SCENE:
LEAVES ON OAK TREES APPLAUDED THE WAYFARING MAN MARCHING BY.
THE SUN WENT DOWN SMILING IN THE FAR WESTERN SKY.
HE WAS WALKING IN A WILDERNESS.
NO STREET LAMPS LIT THE WAY.
BUT BIRDS WERE SINGING GLORIOUSLY
IN THANKFULNESS FOR THE DAY.
THE SPIRIT OF GOD IN HIM
FILLED HIM TO THE BRIM.
HE WAS WALKING IN HEAVEN
WONDERFULLY FREE FROM SIN.
THE HIGHWAY OF HOLINESS
MOVED BENEATH HIS FEET,
WHERE GOD RESERVES HIS BEST
FOR THOSE WHO HAVE MEAT.
A FEW CARS PASSED HIM BY,
AS THE CURTIN CAME DOWN.
THEIR CAR LIGHTS GLARING,
THEIR MOTORS ROARING SOUND.
THEY CARRIED GUNS AS A HABIT,
AND WERE SWORN TO TAKE HIM OUT.
THEY SAW HIM AS A FANATIC,
COME TO TEST THEIR AGNOSTIC DOUBT.
GOD WAS UNWELCOME TO MANY
IN SPRAGUE RIVER TOWN,
AND HIS MESSENGER THEY WANTED
BURIED DEEP IN THE GROUND...
TEMPERATURES WERE FALLING.
A WINTER FREEZE HAD COME.
THE TOWN WAS COVERED WITH DARKNESS.
HIS HANDS WERE NUMB.
THE VILLIAGE WAS QUIET,
HE COULD SEE IT CLEAR.
HE HAD NO JACKET,
HE KNEW NO FEAR.
A PASTOR OPENED HIS DOOR,
AND ANSWERED WITH A SNEER.
"THE WHOLE TOWN HATES YOU,
WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?"
"I WILL SLEEP ON YOUR SOFA,"
THE WAYFARING MAN SAID:
"IF YOU DON'T LET ME OUT OF THE COLD,
YOU'LL FIND ME ON YOUR DOOR STEP DEAD."
A FEW MINUTES LATER,
HE FELL ASLEEP INSIDE.
ONLY GOD KNOWS
HOW TO OPEN HEAVEN WIDE.
Dedicated to John Kalita and John Bianchi and their families.
