Boxcar Bill

Boxcar Bill

He showed up in a boxcar, got off soakin’ wet,

if you thought he’d go far, you mighta’ lost that bet.

Bill had hit a hard spot, and he was in a bind,

his future was for naught, ‘twas messin’ up his mind.

Then he took to drinkin’, a little, then a lot,

the Devil was a-lurkin’, Bill had gone to pot.

Campin’ in the willows, across the railroad line,

like the other fellows, drinkin’ lots of wine.

He wouldn’t beg for money, traded work for cash,

he didn’t think it corny, haulin’ off the trash.

One day he heard an Oom-Pah, Salvation Army Band,

a broken man he was, they could lend a hand.

By Sunday Bill was sober, to the chapel he did amble,

he coulda’ used a barber, a Bible and a candle.

The service had begun, like always he was late,

maybe he should run, maybe it was fate.

Voices liftin’ up a song, ‘bout some long lost soul,

but now it wasn’t wrong, his spirit did console.

People looked at him, as he wandered in,

and that ancient hymn, did wash away his sin.

Welcomed by the Captain, he sat down in a pew,

“His love is like a fountain, Jesus died for you.”

The preachin’ and the prayin’, made him feel at home,

at last he felt like stayin’, t’was no need to roam.

Took Jesus as his Savior, then found a better path,

he’s no more a failure, though he needs a bath.

Gets a better suit of clothes, then he finds a job.

never turnin’ up his nose, Bill, he ain’t no snob.

Pretty soon he’s doin’ well, his chest begins to swell,

with that Salvo Army bell, he has now eluded Hell.

The Hobo Jungle denizen becomes our leadin’ citizen,

no matter where he’s been, doin’ good when he can.

Still that kettle he can’t pass, fills it up with his cash,

Boxcar Bill shows his class, sharin’ nearly all his stash.

And he made it pretty far, nothin’ to regret,

he came in on a boxcar, left out on a jet.

LDT October 16, ‘21

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