Classic Poem

We live in a rickety house,
In a dirty dismal street,
Where the naked hide from day,
And thieves and drunkards meet.

And pious folks with their tracts,
When our dens they enter in,
They point to our shirtless backs,
As the fruits of beer and gin.

And they quote us texts to prove
That our hearts are hard as stone,
And they feed us with the fact
That the fault is all our own.

It will be long ere the poor
Will learn their grog to shun
While it's raiment, food and fire,
And religion all in one.

I wonder some pious folks
Can look us straight in the face,
For our ignorance and crime
Are the Church's shame and disgrace.

We live in a rickety house,
In a dirty dismal street,
Where the naked hide from day,
And thieves and drunkards meet.