I wrote this poem as a joke. A friend teases me about this experience I had back in 2000 or 2001. I believe I encountered an angel. He thinks I’m silly. We laugh and joke about it often.
The worn path of the concrete walk
Accommodated our casual talk
As we passed a stranger in the cold
The Holy Spirit to me told
“Give that man your coat of leather
To walk bare skinned in this weather
Is no state for a man to be
He needs your help, can you see”
Embarrassment in my heart arose
As that man’s exposed skin froze
So I did not obey the voice of God
But simply offered him a nod.
But as we walked the guilt rose high
I turned back to him with a sigh
But that man had gone away from here
Quick as a flash he disappeared
No simple man could twinkle-bell
He must have been an arch-angel