A Georgia Summer Afternoon

Not long ago in summertime,
a Geogia afternoon,
a traveller passed with shabby clothes
to make one's fashion swoon.

He travelled through the suburbs,
blind and deaf somewhat from war,
and as he passed, and old woman
stepped out of her door.

Her face was calm; bespoke of love;
she gave him then a smile.
"Come on in, friend!" she called to him,
"Come in a' stay awhile!"

The traveller stopped then looked around.
"You talkin' 'ta me, ma'am?"
"Why, 'course I'm talkin' t'you, young man,
cummin, I'll fix some Spam!"

He went inside of her old house;
it creaked and groaned from wear.
"Jus' sitterdown righ' here, young man,
tha's it-- sittown rig' there!"

She bustled off to her kitchen,
and o'er the din and noise
she called, "I'll fix yeh extra, son--
Lord, what are they feedin' boys?"

She came back with a tray of food
and handed it to him.
"I also fixed some soup for yeh,
'cause you look mighty thin!"

"Why thank yeh, ma'am!" the traveller said,
and licked the whole tray clean.
"Yeh want summor? 'Cause I'll fix more--
boy you sure look awful lean."

"I think I'm fine, so thank you no;
but I must ask yeh: 'why?'
I didn't ask for any help;
I didn't beg or cry."

She didn't answer, just said, "cummon,
let's get you better clothes;
yeh can wear my husband's stuff
instead o' wearin' those."

She took him to the bedroom
and picked a shirt in store.
"My husband died some years ago;
he don't need them no more."

"I thank yeh ma'am, fer sure," he said,
"those clothes feel mighty good,
but please, why are you doing this?
I know no one else would!"

Without another word except,
"cummon 'n' follow me!"
she led him to her rose garden
all colors and dainty.

They both sat down in lawn chairs
in the Georgia summer heat,
she offered him some lemonade,
then took her sandals off her feet.

"My, but it's hot!" the woman said,
"but I do love these days!
I'll run my feet all through the grass
until the evening haze."

"Ma'am, why are you doin' this?"
the traveller gave a plea.
"Yeh've fed me, clothed me, been so kind,
but don't even know me!"

"Well I jus' thought yeh'd want some Spam;
and maybe some new clothse,
maybed yeh'd wanna place to sleep
an' see a garden rose."

"But you don't know me!" he said, surprised.
"You've never seen me 'fore!"
I've never done a thing for you,
but yeh called me from the door!"

"It don't matter, son," she said
and smiled at him again.
"A person's still a person
no matter who or when."

The next morning the man woke up
in a comfortable bed.
The old woman came with a tray
of sumptious food and said:

"I fixed some breakfast for yeh, son--
eat up, it's might good!
Some eggs, some grits, and sausages--
should I fix some more food?"

"No no ma'am, this is great!" he said.
"I'll soon be on my way.
You been so kind teh me," he said.
"Oh, how can I repay?"

"Oh, Lord above, there is no price!
I will not ask a thing.
A heart need find no greater joy
than all the love it brings!"

He tipped his hat and travelled on,
and as he walked away,
he thought about the woman's words--
Lord, what did she say?

And as the georgia morning passed,
he thought of it again:
"A person's still a person,
no matter who or when."




-D.B.