A Man Shunned No More

Most of the folks only knew him
As a bum that wandered 'round town
And only the children paid attention
When he sometimes dressed up as a clown.

It didn't take much of an effort
As his clothes were all ragged and torn
And with lipstick he found in the garbage
A smile on his face was born.

The parents of the children forbid them
To speak or ever draw near
They had always shunned the stranger
Born from the suspicion and fear.

Not one single town folk had known
Where he slept in the darkness of night
Deep in the woods on the far edge of town
With the moon and the stars for his light.

Then on a hot sultry summer day
A little girl had vanished from town
She wandered from a nearby candy store
They began searching with hopes she'd be found.

Suddenly, a cry for help could be heard
But not that of the missing little child
It was the stranger they'd all been suspicious of
Who now stumbled toward them from the wild.

He was holding in his arms the little girl
Who was smiling and holding on tight
She explained to the crowd around them
How he had saved her from a terrible plight.

She wanted to share her candy with the man
But lost direction and could not find
The stranger who was shown no compassion
From a town whom had all turned blind.

The child had walked into the path of a bear
And just as it was about to attack
She told how this stranger had saved her
From certain death as she lay on her back.

He had distracted the bear with sticks and stones
Till it walked far away from the child
Then he picked her up and ran for their life's
Toward town and away from the wild.

Now the man is no longer a stranger to folks
Free lodging and all the food he can eat
He now strolls the streets of that little ole town
Shaking hands with everyone he greets.

~valentyne~ © 05/19/06

Tell It All Brother
Kenny Rogers