Justification

By Marcus B. Christian

No poem was ever written

that was not meant to work;

To do what its creator

demanded without shirk.

No song was ever sung

for the singing of it alone;

If nothing was done for purpose

'twere best that we all were stone.

The mother's song for her baby --

The poet's song for bread --

The lover's song for his lady --

The dirge for the kin of the dead --

The great man's love for the lowly --

The soldier's song of hate --

The puritan's song of the righteous --

The patriot's song for his state --

All these were done for a purpose

though sometimes hidden from view.

And even the birds in the treetops

sing for some purpose too.

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