The Man Who Fell*

He seemed just fine when we went to bed, High on the mountain, the Great Stone Head' After all, he had been there for centuries, A natural marvel that folks came to see. On a rainy night in early May, That familiar visage slipped away. There was no one who heard the faintest sound, When that mass of rocks came tumbling down. For years, he had been cared for with much love and trouble. Now he was reduced to a mere pile of rubble' "Rebuild," they say; that just wouldn't be the same. And who would dare duplicate God's work and sign his own name. Yet, I believe that if the truth were known, We're all a lot like that man of stone' Our hearts are hard in our thought towards others; Why, we're often reluctant to even help our brothers' Our vision is straight ahead; can't see left or right. A broader perspective may improve our sight' Perhaps,like the Old Man, we're unable to utter a word, If we live in stony silence, how will Truth be heard? We have ears, but if we refuse to hear, God must somehow get our attention to make His will clear. It may be admirable to endure hardships like the wind, ice and rain, Many tribulations might be avoided by using our brain. The Bible says our "old man" is filled with iniquity and sin, And he must die to reveal the "new man' within. God put the granite face on the mountain, and has now taken it away, He put a soft heart in place of my stony one; His mercy is new everyday. Arthur Ball (H.S.L.P.) May 18, 2003 *The Fall of the New Hampshire's landmark "Ol' Man in the Mountains"