SEE,  I CAN WALK

My legs were crooked---born that way, I couldn’t move around;
I’d never stood or walked.  Sometimes I’d crawl upon the ground.
They called it “act of providence,” which has to be endured.
Anyway, the neighbors said, such cases can’t be cured.

But not my Ma!  She used to say that rich folks found a way
To straighten crippled children’s legs, so they could run and play.
“It don’t seem fair that there’s no hope,” she’d say, “for boys like mine
Whose folks are poor!”  And then one day, she heard about the Shrine.

The Shriners’ doctor saw my legs.  He didn’t shake his head
Like most folks did.  “We’ll fix you up as good as new,” he said.
“We’re awful poor,” said Ma.  “It’s hard to pay for food and rent.”
“Give us that boy,” the Shriners said.  “It won’t cost you one cent.”

They didn’t ask about what church we went to, or if any,
Or if we had some Shriner kin.  Their questions wasn’t many.
They took me in.  And then one day, the doctor said, “Well, son,
Let’s try those new straight legs of yours and see how well you’ve done.”

I don’t know how they did it---I’m not much on doctor’s talk;
I only know I used to crawl---and now!  See, I can walk;
I wonder why my mother cried when I went home so straight and fine!
But through her tears I heard her say, “God bless the Shrine!”