[1199] The Touch Of The Master's Hand

Guest poem sent in by Frank O'Shea <foshea@>

'Twas battered and scarred, and the auctioneer
       Thought it scarcely worth his while
To waste much time on the old violin,
       But held it up with a smile.
"What am I bidden, good folks," he cried,
     "Who'll start the bidding for me?"
"A dollar, a dollar. Then two! Only two?
      Two dollars, and who'll make it three?"

"Three dollars, once; three dollars, twice;
      Going for three..." But no,
From the room, far back, a grey-haired man
      Came forward and picked up the bow;
Then wiping the dust from the old violin,
      And tightening the loosened strings,
He played a melody pure and sweet,
      As a caroling angel sings.

The music ceased, and the auctioneer,
      With a voice that was quiet and low,
Said: "What am I bid for the old violin?"
      And he held it up with the bow.
"A thousand dollars, and who'll make it two?
      Two thousand! And who'll make it three?
Three thousand, once; three thousand, twice,
     And going and gone," said he.

The people cheered, but some of them cried,
     "We do not quite understand.
What changed its worth?" Swift came the reply:
     "The touch of the Master's hand."
And many a man with life out of tune,
      And battered and scarred with sin,
Is auctioned cheap to the thoughtless crowd
      Much like the old violin.

A "mess of pottage," a glass of wine,
     A game -- and he travels on.
He is "going" once, and "going" twice,
    He's "going" and almost "gone."
But the Master comes, and the foolish crowd
     Never can quite understand
The worth of a soul and the change that is wrought
     By the touch of the Master's hand.

	-- Myra Brooks Welch

Note: "mess of pottage" is a Biblical reference - see
  http://www.m-w.com/wftw/02apr/041702.htm for example.

Now that you are running some "spiritual" poems, here is an old favourite. I
don't know if you could get away with this kind of poem
any more these days, but come on, admit it, it does bring a little
lump to the throat. I wonder if I should be ashamed to admit that I
like it.

I have no idea who the author is, though I presume she is American.

Frank O'Shea

[Martin adds]

What I find sad is not just that this sort of poetry is falling out
of vogue, but that people really *are*, as Frank half-jokingly
suggests, ashamed to admit that they like it. Somehow, 'taste' and
'sophistication' seem to have become equated with a kind of sneering
cynicism whose popularity, I think, is attributable to the fact that
it is far easier to *assume* than true taste is. Personally, I
enjoyed today's poem (and similar ones like Adelaide Proctor's "The
Lost Chord" [Poem #520], but with the definite consciousness that
this was, somehow, a less-than-respectable opinion.

Links:

  Couldn't find out much about Welch besides the poem, but here's a
  brief biographical note:
    http://www.teacher.com/lilly2.htm

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[this poem is archived, accessible and awaiting your comments at]
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From: Rod Graham <rgraham@>

Dear Martin and Frank -- I too really enjoyed "The Touch Of The Master's
Hand," and at the same time was conscious of how "dated" it was -- but I
say, "Phooey!" to any who are so hardened/cynical they can't be moved by
something fine like this. Rod

From: "Kathi Ingleby" <inglebyjk@>

I was thrilled to once again find the words to this poem.  I have
remembered most of it since I was a teenager, but knew parts were
missing.  It is truly a favorite.
Thank you very much!

From: "Rev. Basil A. Foley, Sr." <lhfbaf@>

Thank you for saving me literally hours of searching through old sermons
to find "The Touch of the Master's Hand."   I, too, say "phooey" to
those sticks-in-the-mud who can't appreciate good literature that makes
sense.

Pastor Foley

From: SWinham06@

The poem is beautiful.  It is captured in song by Christian Artist, Wayne 
Watson. 

From: "Kathy" <katbrown7@>

The "Touch of the Master's Hand" truly has reached a many of souls.
Thanks for adding this online and being a blessing to so many. I use
this on my website Fibro Angels Guiding Light
http://groups.msn.com/FibroAngelsGuidingLight and pray I have the
correct copyright attached under the Harbor Luv Notes board
http://groups.msn.com/FibroAngelsGuidingLight/harborluvnotes.msnw
"May You Always Be Touched By An Angel Of Light" ~Kathy

From: "Cheryl A. Cameron" <CACameron@>

This is my favorite poem and always has been. I was tickled to find it
online. Thanks for sharing it! Cheryl

From: DMcCart@

Singer/songwriter/fiddler Laurie Lewis set this to music in a recording on CD

Together with Kathy Kallick (1995)
Rounder 0318
(orig: Kaleidoscope Records 1991)

https://www.laurielewis.com/discography/
https://www.laurielewis.com/

From: Nightowl1278@

I was a small child when I first read this poem. My mother had it in her 
Bible and when she died in June, 1988, I took it, placed it in a picture frame and 
it now hangs on the wall in my kitchen. Whenever I feel that others don't 
appreciate either myself or my efforts, I read this poem and realize that the 
only one whose opinion should matter is He who is Master of my soul.

D.S.Cheese
St. Catharines Ontarioi CANADA

From: Nightowl1278@

Do you have any idea as to where I can get a copy of this poem put to music 
on CD. If anyone does, please e-mail me. I live in Ontario, CANADA. Many thanks 
to all who have had their lives profoundly affected by this one " outdated " 
poem.

From: DMcCart@

The first time I heard this poem was a haunting setting to music by
fiddler Laurie Lewis. It later was on her 1991 Kaleidoscope Records
recording ???Together??? with Kathy Kallick. Kaleidoscope Records is
no more but I believe it now available on Rounder Records. The copy I
have is the 1991 Kaleidoscope recording I got from Laurie.

Together with Kathy Kallick (1995)
Rounder 0318
(orig: Kaleidoscope Records 1991)

I believe you can get it direct from Laurie at:

https://www.laurielewis.com/frame.html


http://members.aol.com/dmccart/prosound.htm 
http://members.aol.com/dmccart/artists.htm

If you are in the Irvine, California area I am working on a variation
with my banjo player and a German exchange student on fiddle to do as
special music in church. 

From: "Barbara Bateman" <BBateman@>

A speech therapist came in to see my 90 year old father-in-law after he
had a stroke.  He recited this poem, with tears in his eyes.  The
therapist said. "You don't need my help."  She said to his wife, "He's a
brilliant man".  Some things you never forget.

From: "Prudence Lay" <queenlay@>

Thank you so much for posting the words to this beloved poem.  My Mom had it
framed and hanging on the wall as I was growing up.  The words of this poem
truly affected who I became and what I believe.  My Mom died last month and
I was unable to find the the framed poem.  Thank you again for an answer to
prayer.  The message in this poem is timeless.



Prudence Lay

From: KookyGranmaw@

My dad was a lay minister when I was a little girl.  Oftentimes, he would 
comment that he was going to speak on Sunday.  "Girls, what do you think I should 
preach about?" he would ask my sister and me.  My standard response was, 
"Daddy, I don't know, but please end with 'The Touch of the Master's Hand.'"  It 
was such a blessing to me then and has been through the years.  Even though 
he's gone to be with the Lord, I can still visualize him as he'd stand before a 
group, cock his head to one side and, in his rich voice, quote "'Twas battered 
and scarred...."  Thank you for allowing me to share this fond memory.  
JBarker

From: "Jim Clark" <pilgrimjim@>

I love the poem, Touch Of The Master's Hand, and it speaks of
experiences that have happened in my own life. When the Master comes and
touches a life, that life is changed, sometimes tremendously. I like the
poem when set to music too and I have Sally Rogers version of Touch Of
The Master's Hand on the MUSIC page of my web site. The web site link is
below.

James Lloyd Clark    http://home.comcast.net/~pilgrimjim
--

From: Jim Clark <pilgrimjim@>

The Folk Singer, Sally Rogers, has a CD entitled, "The Unclaimed Pint", and Touch Of The Master's Hand is on her CD. I have a copy of her song on my web site MUSIC page. The link to my web site is below.

Jim    http://home.comcast.net/~pilgrimjim
--

From: "Wil Penny" <wilpenny@>

I was so pleased  to find this poem on your web site, because I have
lost the printed page containing it.

I am now nearing 90 years of age.  I first encountered this poem
sometime about 1932 to 1935,  and often found it useful and meaningful
at the close of remarks in a worship setting.

Thank you so much.

Wil Penny

From: Jim Clark <pilgrimjim@>

The song, "Touch Of The Master's Hand", sung by Folk Singer, Sally Rogers, is on the MUSIC page of my web site. Here is a link to the song, in Windows Media Audio format (WMA)

http://home.comcast.net/~pilgrimjim/mastershand.wma

Jim Clark   http://home.comcast.net/~pilgrimjim
--

From: "Dolores Palmquist" <dpq@>

Hello:  I was glad to find the words again to a poem I haven't seen for
years.  I was born in October 1929 so you see I am now 75.  When I was
in high school, I chose "The Touch of the Masters Hand" for a speech
class assignment of memorizing and giving the recitation to the class.
In my heart, I relate the Master to our Lord Jesus Christ!  So I recited
it with all the sincerity and drama a shy young girl could  Later, when
we had a Christian radio station, we played Wayne Watson's version of
this song on occasion.
Dolores Palmquist, Nipomo, CA 

From: "Jim Clark" <pilgrimjim@>

From: "scott sables" <sables@>

And Now ,27 years later, I'm raising a very special child with Downs
Syndrom- The poem "Touch..." tucked deep in my heart has became a
downright beautiful godsend.

From: "scott sables" <sables@>

I'm a white male age 40 -When I was 13 we were bussed to a school in a
predominately black area of town.  This was a culture shock,but I was
social and quick to make friends.   My English Lit teacher, a black
lady, was cool with a religious influence that carried over into her
teachings.  She had us memorize poems.  One of which was "The
Touch......Masters Hand" and also "If".  Yes I had to endure racial
comments from adults around me, but what these poems gave me was an
openness to see people for face value.  That made all the difference.  I
coach and work with kids of all race and color and my children have
friends of all different backgrounds- Poetry-- is the gift that keeps on
giving.

From: "scott sables" <sables@>

And- Yes I'm also raising a child with Downs 

From: Mmpopplewell@

My husband needs this poem in Spanish.  Can you tell me where it can be found.
Thank you very much.

mmpopplewell@

From: "Rudy Bourgeois" <RudyB9@>

I am not sure about a CD version but there is a beautiful video , story
version on a video tape called, "Family Home Evening Video Supplement
#2"  produced by the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. (The
Touch of the Master's Hand)

I htink if you go to LDS.org and then go to Distribution you will
probably find it listed.  If you cannot find it send me a note and I
will track it down.  It is beautifully done.

MB

From: Buffiegal@


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I live in Kansas City.  I would like to get the music to this  piece.  The 
background music and music w/ words.  Can you help?   do you know of a place 
that may sell this?
Thank You.

Jan

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<DIV><STRONG>I live in Kansas City.  I would like to get the music to this
piece.  The background music and music w/ words.  Can you help? 
do you know of a place that may sell this?</STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG>Thank You.</STRONG></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
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From: "Jeannie Tobitt" <jtobitt@>

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I memorized this poem back in 1965, 66 or 67, not sure exactly, however,
this poem has been in my head since then...

I was telling a story to my daughter (she's 19 years old) that when I was
young, (I attended Catholic School) somewhere between 4th & 6th grade, we
were to study and memorize "The Touch of the Masters Hand" for a visit from
Mother Superior, I studied very hard and knew the poem, the only problem
was, I was too shy to raise my hand to say that I knew it, and that I wanted
to recite it to our visitor.  The girl that was chosen to recite the poem
did not know it...I sat there, so very mad at myself, for not having the
courage to raise my hand, however, this poem has been with me ever since...I
did not remember the entire poem, so my daughter's boyfriend, went to the
internet, found the poem and printed it for me...I was elated...so now, this
poem, will be hanging in my bedroom, for me to see it every day...





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From: "Hughston" <dhughston7@>

I have brothers who lost their way for the first part of their lives and
now
they have found God and changed their ways. I will recite this poem at
their
funeral I've decided. It might remind people that God never gives up on
us.
I love this poem. Debra Hughston