Jericho Traveler

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 OF 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