WE huddled in the mission Fer it was cold outside, An' listened to the preacher Tell of the Crucified; Without, a sleety drizzle Cut deep each ragged form,— An' so we stood the talkin' Fer shelter from the storm. They sang of God an' angels, An' heaven's eternal joy, An' things I stopped believin' When I was still a boy; They spoke of good an' evil, An' offered savin' grace— An' some showed love fer mankin' A-shinin' in their face, An' some their graft was workin' The same as me an' you: But most was urgin' on us Wot they believed was true. We sang an' dozed an' listened, But only feared, us men, The time when, service over, We'd have to mooch again An' walk the icy pavements An' breast the snowstorm gray Till the saloons was opened An' there was hints of day. So, when they called out "Sinners, Won't you come!" I came ... But in my face was pallor An' in my heart was shame ... An' so fergive me, Jesus, Fer mockin' of thy name— Fer I was cold an' hungry! They gave me grub an' bed After I kneeled there with them An' many prayers was said. An' so fergive me, Jesus, I didn't mean no harm— An' outside it was zero, An' inside it was warm ... Yes, I was cold an' hungry,— An', O Thou Crucified, Thou friend of all the Lowly, Fergive the lie I lied! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...A MINOR POET by STEPHEN VINCENT BENET POETICAL ABSTRACTS: 2. METAPHYSICAL by HAYDEN CARRUTH ANSWER TO PRAYER by JAMES WELDON JOHNSON HER EYES TWIN POOLS by JAMES WELDON JOHNSON THE BLACK MONKEY by KATHERINE MANSFIELD MODERN PARAPHRASE OF SHAKESPEARE'S SONNET 29 by GEORGE SANTAYANA |