I have watched him and heard him and noticed his style;
Both his words and his manner convicts him of guile.
Here he stands as the mouthpiece of Jesus the poor
But he is dressed in the finest of broadcloth -be sure.
and the wages he receives(putting poor man's to shame)
shuts his mouth very tight when the rich mans to blame
His opinions are molded for him by the times
till he sanctions all wars with their horrible crimes
On the "isms"of church docturn he's apt to be strong
But his brother, the priest says, that there he's all wrong
Sure when leading the Christ-life is made the test
Few preachers of wealth will themselves divest
Popularity's theirs I will freely confess
But the Master proclaimed that the world would not bless
but would curse and revile him who trod in his path
and on such an one's head would pour vilas of wrath
So the plaudits of men, seem to me, to condemn
all these silver lounged parsons who've Japheth and Shem
and their deeds, good and bad, on the tips of their lips
to the exclusion of each of a milionairs slips
For I notice their master taught his friends to prey
that the food that they were needing would come day by day
But these followers have become much too wise
to deposit their treasures in a land beyoud skys
or on God the almighty depend for a meal
For their parsons themselves in the stocks risk a deal
From the popular preacher I turn in dismay
as I wonder if he beleives in a judgement day.
Take heart,my own America,take heart
That thine is now this most exalted part:
To give with joy of treasures and of life,
To end, for MAN, th' accursed age of strife
Rejoice,my own America, rejoice
That thou wast shown, and made the better choice;
That thou was lead to battels that must be:
That thou for this was chosen eternally
rejoice, my own America, rejoice
That thou art now Almighty God's own voice
Proclaiming stern that war itself must end;
Proclaiming stern, the weak I will defend.
Take heart, my own America, take heart
That thou art more, much more, than mammon's mart;
That all thy wealth is but a sacred trust
to save democracy-----as now we must
For me, my own America, for me
I ask acceptance of my sons,that we
on farm or firring-line or wheresoe' er
close knit shall stand---to die or conquer there
(circa-1917)
*****************************
Upon the road of life I met
what said it was despair
It grappled me, the gruesome thing,
and lead me to it's lair
The charnel house of hopes was it-
The hopes of human kind;
Oh, what a horror held my heart
myself within to find
The vapors from those strangled hopes
unbreathable I found
I gasped and groaned,but grew more weak
Then silence was profound
For even prayers for aid, perforce,
were smothered by that grip
that crushed soul and crowded curse
to pass unwilling lip
Such terrors hath not hell in store
as what on hopes demise
her looks so loving,wistful,wan,
pierced past my tear-struck eyes
and reached my heart where strength
was stored , sufficient for the need
and I destroyed ( I know not how)
despair of hellish breed.
We should have buried it I'm told
or better still, have burned
and thus compleated victory that hope
alone had earned
But we were spent with struggle fierce
and frantic fled in fear
lest there were others of its kind
that might to us appear
Alack that courage came so late
we should have closed that pit
and set Gods seal upon the stone
that none might open it.
For tho we know despair is dead,
his phantom is abroad
and strangles men, when hope's asleep
Oh what a hell hatched fraud!
That this is phantom ye can prove,
by softly saying "hope"!
at sight of her (once one with
it successfully did cope)
uncloseing eyes and hands that hold
thine own within her clasp
The fearsome fright, this phantom is,
will fade and lose his grasp
jan.28,1902
Oh to hasten to the harvest
where the lord of host commands!
Oh to sing the strong salvation
of the soul that understands!
Oh to have the love assistance
of the toilers of all lands!!
Let us listen, listen, listen
where the ripened grains repeat,
"he established me a brother
and I bring compleated wheat"
What is this the wheat is weaving
in the western winds embrace
while the wondrous work of sun light
stirs my soul to saying grace?
He established me a brother
and behold: I'll see his face.
Once again the Lord appraising,
to selections from the list;
Oh to hasten to the harvest
where the Lord of host assist!
Oh to sing the strong salvation
of the soul that ne'er resist
Let us listen, listen, listen
where the garnered sheaves record,
"We are bound in willing bundles--
the beloved of the Lord".
Once again the Lord appraising
to the worker host appealed:
Oh to hasten to the harvest
while the Lord is in the field!
Oh to sing the full salvation
where resistance brings the yield!!
Let us listen, listen, listen
to he full grown plants that shout,
we've resisted hail and stormings,
We've resisted dreaded drought;
Was there loss in every conflict?
There was gain we know about
What is this the wheat is wafting
in the mystic-moon white night
where the silence seems a shadow
that assist to second sight?
"we have lived and grown with gladness:
We have died with love-delight
###############################
Have you heard of the story of ancient time king
who for all the worries his life's sure to bring
both to princes and paupers, the wise and the clown
had a talisman ready for fortunes famed frown?
No: Then listen my brother and hear me proclaim
How the troubles of life he, so tranquilly, 'ore'came
On his signet ring great where his eye 'oft rest
He had graved just one sentence- to his mind addressed
That reminded how short is the span of this life
and if each of it's moments were pressed full of strife
still the balanced mind calm should be able to say
"Oh what matter , what matter" 'twill soon pass away
When the pomp and glory of earthly state
and the flatters round him made his soul elate
and when love with delirium made him a god
oft inclined to rebel at life's swift smiting nod
Just one glance and sound reason resumed her sweet sway
through his mind would flash quickly"it will pass away"
Hath life brought you success and applause of the world?
Hath it broken your hope and your idols down-hurled?
Are you quaffering its joys with light laughter and smile
Are you hoping in sorrow that joy will beguile
Oh take heart: Thy black cloud hides the brightest sun ray
Oh remember of joys, they pass swiftly away
Yea 'twas thus that this king took note
that the shortness of life is the great antidote
Were life crowded from cradle to grave but with woes
Give one glance at that signet and plainly it shows
There's a way to surmount them if we will but say
Cup as bitter as this will have soon passed away
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