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Read more poems by Robert Service: Robert Service Poems at Poetry X.

A beggar in the street I saw,
Who held a hand like withered claw,
         As cold as clay;
But as I had no silver groat
To give, I buttoned up my coat
         And turned away.
         
And then I watched a working wife
Who bore the bitter load of life
         With lagging limb;
A penny from her purse she took,
And with sweet pity in her look
         Gave it to him.

Anon I spied a shabby dame
Who fed six sparrows as they came
         In famished flight;
She was so poor and frail and old,
Yet crumbs of her last crust she doled
         With pure delight.

Then sudden in my heart was born
For my sleek self a savage scorn,--
         Urge to atone;
So when a starving cur I saw
I bandaged up its bleeding paw
         And bought a bone.

For God knows it is good to give;
We may not have so long to live,
         So if we can,
Let's do each day a kindly deed,
And stretch a hand to those in need,
         Bird, beast or man.

Added: 25 Mar 2002 | Last Read: 7 Oct 2008 12:15 AM | Viewed: 2587 times

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