STRANGERS
"BE YE WARMED AND FILLED." YOU SAID
AND TURNED AND CLOSED THE DOOR
AND I TURNED UP MY THREADBARE COLLAR
AND WALKED INTO THE COLD ONCE MORE.
I'D ASKED FOR FOOD AND SHELTER
COME CALLING FOR A FRIEND
FOR I'D SEEN YOUR BUMPER STICKERS
AND A FLAG THAT SAID "JESUS'S FRIEND".
SO, HOPE LEAPT IN MY HOPELESS HEART
AND I EAGERLY OPENED YOUR GATE
I SAW THROUGH YOUR WINDOW A FAMILY GATHERING
AND THE FOOD PILED HIGH UPON ALL THE PLATES.
YOU ANSWERED MY KNOCK WITH A PUZZLED EXPRESSION
"YES?" YOU ASKED AS YOU TOOK IN MY CLOTHES
AS I GAVE MY REQUEST, YOU SAID, "WELL, I THINK THAT YOUR BEST
BET IS TO GO DOWN TO THE SHELTER, YOU KNOW."
"THEY'RE FULL," I SAID, "THERE'S NO MORE ROOM
NO BED, NO FOOD, NO HEAT
I SAW YOUR SIGNS AND THOUGHT I'D TRY
TO ASK YOU TO HELP MY NEED."
"I HAVEN'T ALWAYS FALLEN ON HARD TIMES," I SAID
I'VE ALWAYS BEEN SO PROUD
BUT THEN I LOST MY JOB AND HOME
AND THEN FINALLY GOT LOST IN THE CROWD."
I RECENTLY HEARD A MESSAGE
ABOUT A MAN CALLED CHRIST
AND SINCE THEN, I'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR HIM
AND READY TO ACCEPT HIS PRICE.
BUT UNTIL TODAY, I COULDN'T FIND
JUST WHERE THIS SAVIOR DWELLS
I'VE LOOKED SO HARD AND FOUND NO ONE
TO SAVE MY LIFE OF HELL.
I SAW YOUR SIGN, I SAW YOUR FAITH
AND I KNEW I'D FOUND A FRIEND
JUST A LITTLE REST, A LITTLE FOOD
AND I'LL BE ON MY WAY AGAIN."
"I'LL PRAY FOR YOU." YOU SAID IN A WHISPER
AS YOU PULLED THE CHAIN BACK INTO IT'S SLOT
"I CANNOT ASK YOU IN," YOU SAID
"WE JUST REALLY DON'T HAVE A LOT."
"BUT GOD WILL MEET YOUR NEED," YOU SAID
AND GIVE YOU YOUR HEART'S DESIRE
AND HE WILL FEED AND CLOTHE YOU, TOO."
AS YOU GLANCED BACK AT YOUR FIRE.
"SO GO ON YOUR WAY AND YOU WILL BE BLESSED."
YOU SAID AS YOU AVERTED YOUR EYES
AND JUST THEN THE WIND BLEW DOWN YOUR "JESUS'S FRIEND"
AND I SAW THE SHOCK IN YOUR EYES.
"THANK YOU." I SAID AND I TURNED TO GO
AND I FELL ON THE ICE AT YOUR DOOR
MY HEART FELT AS EMPTY AS MY BELLY THAT SCREAMED
AND I MADE MY WAY BLINDLY ONCE MORE.
"BE YE WARMED AND FILLED!" YOU CRIED
AND I HEARD YOUR FRONT DOOR SLAM
AND I BENT MY HEAD AND KNEW THE TRUTH:
YOU'RE MUCH POORER THAN I AM.
AT THE GATE, THERE STOOD A STRANGER
AND HE SMILED AND REACHED OUT TO ME
"COME HOME WITH ME, I'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR YOU
AND I'VE FOUND YOU AND YOU HAVE FOUND ME."
AND AT YOUR WINDOW, I SAW A GLIMPSE
OF A TEAR-STAINED FACE OF WOE
YOU SAW ME WALKING AWAY FULL OF JOY
WITH A STRANGER THAT YOU DO NOT KNOW.
©By Voo
December 30, 2000
