Someone's Mother

Someone's Mother trails the street Wrapt in rotted rags; Broken slippers on her feet Drearily she drags; Drifting in the bitter night, Gnawing gutter bread, With a face of tallow white, Listless as the dead. Someone's Mother in the dim Of the grey church wall Hears within a Christmas hymn, One she can recall From the h so long ago, When divinely far, in the holy alter glow She would kneel in prayer. Someone's Mother, huddled there, Had so sweet a dream; Seemed the sky was Heaven's stair, Golden and agleam, Robed in gown Communion bright, Singingly she trod Up and up the stair of light, And thee was waiting - God. Someone's Mother cowers down By the old church wall; Soft above the sleeping town Snow begins to fall; Now her rags are lily fair, but unproud is she: Someone's Mother is not there... Lo! she climbs the starry stair Only angels see.