I plunged into the stuff that preachers learn: The Hebrew language, Aramaic and Syriac; The Hebrew ideas--rapid survey--oh, yes, Rapid survey, that was the usual thing. Histories of Syria and Palestine; Theology of the Synoptics, eschatology. Doctrine of the Trinity, Docetism, And Christian writings to Eusebius. Well, in the midst of all of this what happens? A fellow shows me Draper and this stuff Went up like shale and soft rock in a blast. My room mate was John Smith, he handed me This book of Draper's. What do you suppose? This scamp was there to get at secret things, Was laughing in his sleeve, had no belief. He used to say: "They'd never know me now." By which he meant he was a different person In some round dozen places, and each place Was different from the others, he was native To each place, played his part there, was unknown As fitted to another, hence his words "They'd never know me now." And so it was This John Smith acted through the course, came through A finished preacher. But they found me out As soon as Draper gnawed my faith in two. The good folks back in Sepo took away The purse they lent and left me high and dry. So I came back and learned the barber's trade, And here I am. But when I save enough I mean to start a little magazine To show what is the matter. Do you know? It's something on the shelf--not booze or jam: It's that old bible, precious family bible, That record of the Hebrew thought and life-- That book that takes a course of years to study, Requires Aramaic, Hebrew, Greek and Coptic And epigraphy, metaphysics, not Because the book itself is rich in these But just because when you would know a book In every character and turn of phrase And know what's back of it and went into it You draw the learning of the world, that's all. Take Plato, if you will, and study him After this manner, you will travel far In every land and realm. But this is nothing. The preachers are a handful to the world. They eat this dead stuff like bacteria That clean away decay. The harm is here Among the populace, the country, all That makes for life as life.