Poem February 11, 1991 Issue

All of us

Ethel Ames Baker

His arms seemed ever outstretched—and gathering, gathering;
Pulling the sheep of "them" and "us" into a single, perfect flock.
No loner prayers did Jesus give his students.
But "us," he said.

All of us, he must have meant.
Feed us, forgive us, lead us, our Father.
Even in temptation, he would not stand separate.
Not "I," he said, but "man"—"man shall not live by bread alone."

No one turned out, turned away;
No one less than God's son or daughter;
No crimes so grievous, no sins so sore
That anyone, any one would be assessed a mortal by him.

His example gleams so far ahead of where we seem to be;
Yet Christ is here and shining—
The light that never departs, but warms us, wakes us, gathers
us together

Again and again and again.

Ethel Ames Baker

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