I WENT A TRAVELING, A TRAVELING I DID GO...

I went a traveling, a traveling I did go,

I wound up in countries which I did not know...

In these countries I could not speak to those I needed to speak to,

For their language was one I never heard, let alone ever knew...

Everything was fine, yes, it was fine,

Until they learned the country of mine,

They were not pleased that I came from the USA,

And, I could not make them understand what I had to say...

Suddenly my travels became strange, oh, strange they became indeed,

As if I had come to taint them with vengeance and greed...

I tried to find someone who could interpret for me,

But, everyone scathed my presence as if it were leprosy...

I never felt so lost or all alone, yes, I was quite alone,

It was the most humiliating time I have ever known...

I just wanted to get away from people such as these,

I just wished that their hatred of me would cease...

I was walking to the airport, walking along the way,

When I heard screams coming from somewhere near the bay...

I hurried to see what had happened, and, what did I see,

A mother had stumbled, and, into the water, went her baby...

I did not think twice, twice I did not give it a thought,

I did not care into what kind of mess I was caught,

I jumped into the waters, which were cold as ice,

Searching for the child, I considered not, if I was or not, being nice...

Down I went into the cold wetness, into the cold wetness I went,

Coming up for air when my breath had been spent...

Finally I felt her tiny body brush my hand,

I grabbed her and swam like hell to the land...

There was a crowd now, a crowd there seemed to be,

As I grabbed onto the dock for security,

I gave the mother her child, she cried and cried,

I was raised up out of the water, by hands of great pride...

Suddenly I was hugged, oh, hugged and kissed I was, that day,

It seemed that all previous disdain for me had melted away...

I was taken to a hotel, where I was given the royal treatment by everyone,

I was given the best of everything, for the human thing I had done...

People started speaking to me, speaking to me they did, in my native tongue,

Such a beautiful sound was it as if angels of the heavens had in their voices sung...

I learned that day about prejudice, hatred, apathy, and, about how love can be shared,

If we learn that our outward differences are to be embraced, not despaired...

Oh, I went a traveling, a traveling I did go,

Blessed with the knowledge that only some know,

Which is this; no matter where you come from, no matter from how far,

You will eventually blend in if you simply reveal who you really are...