 | The collected works of Ambrose Bierce |  |
TO-DAY
I saw a man who knelt in prayer,
And heard him say:
“I'll lay my inmost spirit bare
To-day.
And heard him say:
“I'll lay my inmost spirit bare
To-day.
119
“Lord, for to-morrow and its need
I do not pray;
Let me upon my neighbor feed
To-day.
I do not pray;
Let me upon my neighbor feed
To-day.
“Let me my duty duly shirk
And run away
From any form or phase of work
To-day.
And run away
From any form or phase of work
To-day.
“From Thy commands exempted still,
Let me obey
The promptings of my private will
To-day.
Let me obey
The promptings of my private will
To-day.
“Let me no word profane, no lie,
Unthinking, say
If any one is standing by
To-day.
Unthinking, say
If any one is standing by
To-day.
“My secret sins and vices grave
Let none betray;
The scoffer's jeers I do not crave
To-day.
Let none betray;
The scoffer's jeers I do not crave
To-day.
“And if to-day my fortune all
Should ebb away
Help me on other men's to fall
To-day.
Should ebb away
120
To-day.
“So, for to-morrow and its mite
I do not pray;
Just give me everything in sight
To-day.”
I do not pray;
Just give me everything in sight
To-day.”
I cried: “Amen!” He rose and ran
Like oil away.
I said: “I've seen an honest man
To-day.”
Like oil away.
I said: “I've seen an honest man
To-day.”
| The collected works of Ambrose Bierce | |