“They Come”
by Jason Franklin, dedicated to Manna House

Worn and weary from the night they come;
Worn from the day that was spent looking and searching. They come.
Weary from the dread and fear of what a new day will bring. They come.
They come from the north, the south, the east, and the west.
They come searching for something, anything to bring a moment
of relief to their tired minds and bodies. They come.
Looking for water to bring freshness to both body and soul. They come.
Looking for a drink of warmth for both mind and spirit. They come.
They come looking for a haven within a world that has cast them aside.
They come looking for a place where their worth is acknowledged and they
are treated with dignity. They come.
They come searching for drops of manna that have fallen from heaven to
fill their emptiness. They come.
They come and they find that which their body, mind, and spirit cry out for. They come.
One more day gone and another night falls. They come.

Jason Franklin did his Clinical Pastoral Education at Manna House this past spring and this poem was part of his final class presentation.