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Poem: "I Dare Not Say I Love the Lord"


I dare not speak of God today,
A deity divine,
As if I knew Him very well -
A casual friend of mine!

I dare not speak of God like that,
It is too much for me
To see the hunger all around
And those in misery.

I saw a Negro lynched one time
By men who talk that way,
And saw a union miner killed
One sunny Sabbath day!

I dare not say I love the Lord
While children starve and freeze,
For Jesus said love first should be
Unto the least of these!

Oh Jesus spoke in simple words,
And simple truths are deep -
They who say: "We love the Lord"
Must first go feed his sheep!


Source: Don West (1950).