By Reharl Goldenarm
As life comes again with a harsh embrace
The harsh winds blow against my face
I wonder what it's all been for
How everyone is wantin' more
Temptin' everyone ta try
Ta get rich and fat, but you'll still die
For every king n' begger's end
It'll come in time, for you my friend
I stand upon a traveled road
Grunting under the 'eavy load
I wish that life were easier, so I didn't have to
Worry about tomarrow and the thing's I'll go through
But I see a man beggin, wrapped in a wool cloak
Shaking 'is cup, his face is soaked
With shame and pain, a tear in 'is eye
But he has not been defeated, Why?
For he goes on believin tomarrow
Will burn away all this sorrow
His hope keeps 'im alive, n' he aint givin up
So I walked over n' dropped a coin in 'is cup
He nodded ta me n' said, "Bless ya sir"
I wondered where my feelings were
I turned and left thinkin' a life's simple joys
I looked back ta see two young boys
Playin' in tha' center of tha street
I saw thier death they're about ta meet
A wagon speeding without repreave
N' it seemed tonight thier mothers'd greave
But the begger lept from tha' place he lay
And pushed the boy from tha' way
Though he 'imself did not escape
I wrapped 'im in 'is woolen cape
I nodded to the boys n' they stared at me
They turned and ran down tha' street
I wondered if it'd ever be known
All the courage dis' man 'ad shown
Ta give 'is life for two he'd never met
He'd probly seen more than I ever will I bet
His life was worth 's much as mine if not more
Even if he was "poor"
Poor of money, but not poor of soul
I took him to the pyres and place 'im in a hole
A man shouted "Filth like that doesn't belong in here!"
I turned an told him with a sneer
"This man deserves these rights as much as you,
After all the things he has gone through,
He gave it up for tha' cruel fate that it is
So two young boy's lives'd be better n' his"
He stepped back from fear, like a worm
I set fire to the old man's lifeless form
All that'd 'appen in our days
We all end in tha' same blaze
Some in glory, banners 'eld high
Or sickened children, while poor mothers cry
Ta take yer leave, ya don't need fame
In tha end it's all tha same
I'd learned more from 'dat begger n' 'is sacrifice
Then what I could learn for any price
N' though I never even shook tha man's 'and
I walked away a better man
Fer 'e knew more a' life than I, he'd been down dat way
He changed my life, the man I met tha' other day
'Cause streangth is somethin ya can't put words to ta tha least
Dis begger 'ad more than any man or beast
I 'ope ya read these words wit' pride
N' realize yer a littler "stronger", deep down inside