The Master's Touch

Steven Dix &  Myra Brooks Welch (original poem)

Well it was battered and scarred

 And the auctioneer felt

It was hardly worth his while

To waste much time on the old violin

But he held it up with a smile

Well it sure ain't much

But it's all we've got left

I guess we ought to sell it too

Oh now whose go the bid on this old violin

Just one more and we'll be through

One give me one dollar who'll make it two

Only two dollars who make it three

Three dollars twice and you know that's a good price

Come on whose got the bid for me

Raise up your hand and don't wait any longer

The auctions about to end

Whose got four just one dollar more

To bid on this old violin

Well the air was hot

And the people stood around

While the sun was setting low

From the back of the crowd

A grey haired man came forward

And picked up the bow

He wiped the dust

From the old violin

Tightened up the strings

Then he played out a melody

Pure and sweet

Sweeter than the angels sing

Then the music stopped and the auctioneer

In a voice that was quiet and low

He said now what am i bid for this old violin

and he held it up with a bow

and then he cried out....

One give me one thousand

Who'll make it two

Only two thousand who'll make it three

Three thousand twice

And you know that's a good price

Come on whose got the bid for me

And the people cried out

What made the change

We don't understand

And the auctioneer stopped

And he said with a smile

It was the touch of the masters hand

You know there's many a man

With his life out of tune

Battered and scarred with sin

And he's auctioned cheap

To a thankless world

Much like that old violin

But then the master comes

And that old foolish crowd

they never understand

The worth of a soul

And the change that is wrought

Just by one touch of the masters hand