HE WAS BORN IN AN OBSCURE VILLAGE
A CHILD OF A PEASANT WOMAN
HE GREW UP IN STILL ANOTHER VILLAGE
WHERE HE WORKED IN A CARPENTER SHOP UNTILL HE WAS THIRTY
THEN FOR THREE YEARS HE WAS AN ITINERANT PREACHER
HE NEVER WROTE A BOOK, HE NEVER HELD AN OFFICE
HE NEVER HAD A FAMILY OR OWNED A HOUSE
ONE SOLITARY LIFE. ONE SOLITARY LIFE.
HE DIDN'T GO TO COLLEGE,
HE NEVER TRAVELLED 200 MILES FROM THE PLACE HE WAS BORN
HE DID NONE OF THE THINGS ONE USUALLY THINK OF AS GREAT
HE HAD NO CREDENTIALS BUT HIMSELF
HE WAS ONLY THIRTY THREE WHEN PUBLIC OPINION
TURNED AGAINST HIM HIS FRIENDS RAN AWAY
ONE SOLITARY LIFE. ONE SOLITARY LIFE.
HE WAS TURNED OVER TO HIS ENEMIES
AND WENT THROUGH A MOCKERY OF A TRIAL
HE WAS NAILED TO A CROSS
BETWEEN TWO THIEVES
WHILE HE WAS DYING, HIS EXECUTIONERS GAMBLED FOR HIS CLOTHING
THE ONLY PROPERTY HE HAD ON EARTH
WHEN HE WAS DEAD, HE WAS LAID IN A BORROWED GRAVE
THROUGH THE PITY OF A FRIEND
ONE SOLITARY LIFE. ONE SOLITARY LIFE.
TWENTY CENTURIES HAVE COME AND GONE
AND TODAY HE IS A CENTRAL FIGURE OF THE HUMAN RACE
A LEADER OF MANKIND'S PROGRESS
ALL THE ARMIES THAT EVER MARCHED
ALL THE NAVIES THAT EVER SAILED
ALL THE KINGS THAT EVER REIGNED
PUT TOGETHER HAVE NOT AFFECTED THE LIFE ON MAN ON EARTH
AS MUCH AS THAT
ONE SOLITARY LIFE. ONE SOLITARY LIFE.
