LAZARUS

By John Agostin

A BEGGER NAMED LaZARUS is sitting at my gate

He is one of the homeless, a most horrible fate

I should go talk to him, but my dutites come first

I have no time to spend with a man who is cursed

I tell my housekeeper to go chase him away

Lazarus is crying, it’s the same everyday

he has the nerve to ask her for a piece of bread

She tells him what’s the point? You’d be better off dead

His body’s very dirty and his clothes are well worn

I think a man like him should have never been born

He’s not able to work, he’s a burden to me

He’s the lowest form of life in society

I’m in my Cadillac, I think I’ll run him down

Or I’ll talk to the Mayor and have him thrown out of town

He sees me driving by and he ask for a dime

I tell him absolutely not! For the very last time

Well, I go into town and I talk to the Mayor

he says within an hour, the police will be there

By the time I get home, Lazarus is gone

It’s just another battle that I fought and won

The policeman smiles and tells me Lazarus is no more

Things will return to normal, like they were before

But later that night as I lay in my bed

I have a heart attack and I find myself dead

I’m in a place of torment, and there’s no way out

I asee Lazarus in heaven and begin to shout

A cup of water old friend, to help ease he pain

A cup of water old friend, I say again and again

Standing next to Lazarus is the Lord of Lords

He looks directly at me and he speaks these words

It was I who sent Lazarus, to teach you how to love me

Now your roles will be reversed for eternity

(Dedicated to St. Francis, the Little Poor Man from Assisi)

Chris KnestrickApril 5, 2013