Last week in my Fruits of the Spirit post I had the privilege of sharing inspiring information that my mother held onto for many years. Upon reading this, my father was reminded of a poem he wrote many years ago and offered to let me share it.
It was 1959. My future father, Howard J. Bunch, was a young 18-year-old man. He had recently joined the US Coast Guard and was attending Supply School at the United States Coast Guard Training Station in Groton, CT.
One Friday, on a cold winter day in January, Howard, and a few of his fellow coast guardsman, decided to take a journey south to New York

City. As he toured the city, he took site of the huge and spacious buildings surrounding him. Eventually, he came upon St. Patrick’s Cathedral. Immediately, the beauty of the cathedral overcame him; the finely crafted architecture, the wide-open doors, the tall spires reaching towards the heavens. Later, as he traveled home, images of the cathedral continued to invade his mind. Thoughts of life, and the struggles one must face inspired him to write this poem.

A Poor Man’s Prayer
© 2017 by: Howard J. Bunch

I am a rich man with all riches untold,
I’ve silver, diamonds, rubies and gold,
The world and its wealth is within my power to hold.

But what good is my silver and what good is my gold,
And what good is the world to have and to hold,
If I have no contentment within my soul.

No peace within my heart, no satisfaction within my mind,
For the real riches of life, I cannot find.

So, teach me Lord to love and to give,
Teach me to be humble, teach me to live,
Teach me to see myself as others see me,
Teach me to see others as I really should see,
Teach me to beware of fortune and fame,
Teach me respect for Thy Holy Name.

Please give my heart peace at night and at day,
Teach me Lord, teach me to pray, and
Please give me guidance when my soul goes astray.

I’ll close now Lord with this one final plea,
Though at times I may forget you, please, please,
Don’t forget me.

Amen.