The Quality of Mercy

[unclear: ranny]
as quite certain
[unclear: at], when she died
[unclear: nd] went across
[unclear: the] other side.
Lord would come
meet her at the wharf.
choir would sing
she got off,
He would thank her
tears in His eyes
the Good work
had done
[unclear: nder] blazing skies.
[unclear: ing] black souls for Salvation,
far-distant missionary stations.
her annual vacations . . .

from which she would return
with cheerful heart under bright sunburn
and, crossing the street to avoid the tart
who plied her trade about this part.
looking past the crippled beggar,
ignoring the drunkard in his stagger,
she would wend her way
to her cottage trim,
for evening meal and the daily Hymn,
afterwards run a luke-hot bath,
away to scrub with soap and cloth
the dust and grime
of foreign lands.
and the offensive touch
of strange black hands.
which
she had
so glad
yearly endured
for the Reward
that it ensured . . .

by P. Grimbeek.