The Earth Turns South/Comrade Judas

by Clement Richardson Wood

COMRADE JUDAS

(Years of the Great War)

Man has no credit for the twisted waysTruth comes to him; to us, as unto you,Somehow, out of these struggling, groping days,Some vision of the future blurred into view.And we clung to it, as a precious thingWorth dying for, and, more than that, worth living;While all this priceless visioning you flingColdly away—the sin beyond forgiving.No, not by us; we bid you go your way,Knowing that we are stronger with you gone,—Stronger, because the heart that could betrayDown its own furtive course has wandered on.But you will slowly see the things you miss,And you cannot forgive yourself for this.