Harper's Place

Met an old man down at Harpers place
He had clothes made from rags
But a kind face
He smiled up at me and waved his hand
I was a little frightened
But soon realized he was a friend
“Come on over.” He said to me.
“There’s something I’d like for you to see.”
That’s when the old man got up and walked away
I followed him and what I saw, changed my whole day

I saw the neglect of a mother to her daughter
I saw the homeless sweating their lives away
As the day grew hotter
I saw the drunk stumble to his knees in shame
I saw the wife of the drunk who was doing the same
I saw the prostitute cry out for help when she was alone
I saw the child who was starving in his own home
I saw the mourning, the deception, the pain
I saw it all with the man who lived this way

I asked him why he wanted me to see
He said it was because the truth would set me free
I grew angry and I grew cold
The expression on the mans face began to unfold
He said, “Listen here, son. You can face the truth.
Or you can run. The answer is simple,
It’s like reading from an open book.
Go ahead. Would you like to take another look?”

I saw the gambler throw his life away in hours
I saw the expression of a fed up mother turn sour
I saw the tears of an unborn baby boy
I saw the blood spilt over a small girl’s toy
I saw a family who seemed like they were doing alright
I saw a total of five deaths after one fight
I saw the mourning, the deception, the pain
I saw it all with the man who lived this way

The old man said, “It will all change one day.”
He said all the tears and the hurt will go away
I looked at him and asked, “How are you so sure?”
He just smiled and said, “You have a nice day, sir.”
The man headed back to Harper’s place
I told myself I would remember his face

I once asked Harper about that old man
He said he wouldn’t let a homeless bum live on his land
So I thought it through, thinking the old man was a fraud
Turns out, I had spent the day with God