The snake oil salesman also sells them bibles, but no one notices his long forked tongue.
They didn’t hear him sound so old because the words had come from a face so young.
They were too afraid to ask if he could simply lift his mask.
They are humble.
Their heads hung low.
He tells them that he knows what they need, but that it’s on a need to know.
They didn’t know they needed to go.
They needed to run.
They needed to save themselves from him, yet they somehow bowed to him as if he’s the one.
Now he’s having fun.
They’ve seen him heal the sick, but missed his all his slippery tricks.
His hands are slick and his words are spit so quick.
They were certain that there was cure behind the curtain, good in his heart, so they never looked inside his chest to see the empty dark.
They were blind men searching the darkness for a spark, and they accepted without hesitation or remark.
They offered him no doubt.
They only gave him prize and praise, and for days they followed him about.
He leads.
He has everything they need for when they hurt, for when they bleed, and some more indeed to soothe the sadness.
They never believed that he was leading them through the dirt to feed them to his madness.
They didn’t see the land was steep.
They never saw the ledge.
He walks his flock of soon slaughtered sheep right up to the edge.
He tells them that men can fly, and then that men can never die.
He says that they are friends, and then that he’d never lie.
They thought he was so wonderful, but never thought to wonder why.
They just rejoiced with raised voices and hands held towards the sky.
One by one they left.
One by one they went on to bigger things.
One by one they reached the promised land with his glory giving wings.
The town grew silent and still, but for one lone soul.
One little girl is one less tally from his toll.
She had stayed at home to pray.
The light had shown the black stage coach approach, so she hid herself away.
She will never forget the snake oil salesman and his evil grin.
She hopes that as long as she lives, she will never see him again, but still asks God to free him from his sin.
She prays he mends his hateful ways and that he takes aim for better days.
She raises her gaze.
The sun shines upon braided hair and a fair freckled face.
She may be small, but she’s always there.
She is my Grace.