They Gave To You A Ring Of Tin Poem by Mary Angela Douglas

they gave to you a ring of tin
a shoe of stone
no happy end

a face to shine
on no one there
a hill to climb

that was despair
and who will mend
what they will tear

and sing to you
a lovely air
and play and strum

when they are through
with all the hurt
they'll do to you

as if it never came to pass
that you were wretched in the blast
and had no cloak or gloves to warm

yourself when coming to such harm
o they gave you a ring of tin
and kept the gold for all of them

but there is One above who knows
and He is lovely as the Rose
and grieved for you

before you came
and loved the beauty of your name
my child he cried

because he knew
each wounding thing that they would do
and on the Cross he bled and died

that you might find the bright Spring tide
and learn to laugh at misery's face
and find your Home within His grace.

and so I wrote this little song
that you might feel so free from wrong
and feel your heart so sweet within

and live again.
and live again.

mary angela douglas 6 january 2016