The Wanderer

The Wanderer

From town to town he travels
No stakes does he put down
Wandering the country side
Is the way of life he has found

There are no family ties
Long ago they were severed
Not so much this was by choice
Over time it seems it just occurred

A kindly soul this wanderer was
Many friends he had made
So gentle was he in nature
And of him no one ever was afraid

Time would pass by for a while
Then in town you would see him again
Waving to passer-bys and smiling at each
Pausing for some conversation now and then

Never asking for hand outs
He worked and paid his own way
Picking up handy-man jobs here and there
Is how he lived and survived each day

Then there came the time
When tragedy struck
One evening, along the highway
He was hit by a passing truck

Immediate surgery was needed
In order to save his life that night
But sadly, he refused to give consent
"Into my Lord's hands I go, I will be all right"

Surgeons and Staff, Social Workers there too
Were beside the wanderer; they all were pleading
Tears fell like rain, as they frantically begged him
To allow an operation that would stop the bleeding

"My life I have lived, my days are through,
the time has come now for me to leave;
Help those for which here are still to remain
In heaven I will be cared for, please believe"

Adjudged to be sane, capable of clear decisions
The only thing left to do was to make him comfortable
Free from any pain as he lived out his last moments
This they all did while watching his signs become unstable...

Touching many hearts with his kindness
The wanderer traveled from town to town
Until that night his travels came to an end
And a surgeon, to his knees was brought down.

With all his knowledge, intense training and skill
Openly his tears now flowed in distress
As the surgeon watched a precious life ebb away
He looked down at his hands ~ that on that night were useless