Who Was This Man? Poem by louis rams

01/05/11

They didn’t know where he came from
No information could be found.
He just arrived - in the poor part of town.
They said he would appear when someone
Needed a hand, it was something
they could not understand.

Now! People’s faith was failing and
Everything seemed to be going wrong
But he would lift them up and
Encouraged them to be strong.
He was a bit different from
the others in the town.
Always with a hood, and had it pulled down.

The church was losing parishioners
And they had for quite some time.
Their faith was strong, but their minds were blind.
They needed something to touch the heart of man
Something that- could give a helping hand.

As the clergy thought about how
and what they could do.
This hooded man was looking for something too.

There was a family of eight who was
Being given a dispossess, he had to help them out
He knew he could not rest.

Parents with six children and not a bite to eat
To them a bag of potato chips, was really quite a treat.
He printed up circulars telling of their plight.
Asking the community to stand up and fight.
He created a meeting at the neighborhood church
He knew that it would get better
For it could not get much worse.

The church had not known of this meeting
When the people started to arrive.
This was the first time that people had to wait in line.

The preacher asked a parishioner:
What is this all about?
She then showed him the circular of this family s plight.
He then had a strange feeling, and his heart jumped with delight.

His prayers were being answered in a strange and blessed way.
He fell to his knees and he began to pray.
The people filled up the donation boxes
Until they overflowed, he had to call for some help
For it was a heavy load.

From the corner of his eye- he saw a figure
Blocking the entrance door,
And with a hood pulled down low.
It was a strange sight- it truly was a show.

He walked down the aisle to the preacher man
Looked up - then shook his hand.
He turned to the congregation and said:

HAVE FAITH IN ALL YOU DO
YOU CALLED OUT MY NAME AND I’VE
COME TO HELP YOU.

He took off his hood and just an aura of light was there
Then he vanished as quick as he appeared.

WHO WAS THIS MAN?