Friday, July 4, 2014

two pictures

So he painted a picture of Judas,
 And the model who posed for the part
Had a face so repulsive and cruel,
 That it taxed e'en the great master's art.

And a story he told as he painted,
 The story of Jesus, so sweet,
When 'twas finished, the man took his wages
 And shambled out into the street.

Ten years passed and the artist grown famous
 Wished the picture of Jesus to paint,
So he searched till he found him a model
 With the sweet kindly face of a saint.

But before he had picked up his brushes,
 Cried the painter, "I've done you, I know."
"That is true," said the man, "I was Judas,
 But it happened a long time ago.

"And the man in the story you told me,
 Has come into my heart, thanks to you,
And it isn't my face that you see, sir,
 But the heart of the Man shining through."

 -R. H. Richardson

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