When you get to know a fellow,
know his joy and know his cares,
When you’ve come to understand the burdens
That he bears,
When you’ve learned the fight he’s making
And the troubles in his way,
Then you’ll find that he’s different than you
Thought you knew him yesterday.
You find his faults are trivial, there’s not so much to blame,
In the fellow that you jeered at when you only knew his name
You are quick to see the blemish in the distant neighbour’s style
And your prejudices fatten and your hates more violent grow,
As you talk about his failures your hates more violent grow,
As you talk about the failures of the man you do not know
But when drawn a little closer and your hands and shoulders touch
You find the traits you hated really didn’t amount to much
When you get to know a fellow, know his every mood and whim,
You begin to find the texture and the splendid side of him
You begin to understand him, and you cease to scoff and stare
For with understanding, all this prejudices disappear
You begin to find his virtues, and his faults you cease to tell,
For you seldom hate a fellow when you know him very well
When you get to know a fellow, you understand his ways,
Then his fault won’t really matter, for you will find a lot to praise.
Christ a poet 