This is a new setting of the traditional tune with original lyrics by Australian poet Richard Chisholm. It has been a joy to collaborate with him on this piece. The moving poem tells the story of a real wayfaring stranger: a modern-day refugee who has traveled far and come to live among us, and it examines our response to his presence in our midst. The music is based on my earlier arrangement of “Poor Wayfaring Stranger,” but in this version there is no solo (since the story is told in third person), and I’ve modified the music to fit the emotions of the new words.

He’s just a poor wayfaring stranger
He traveled here from far away
He fled from famine, bombs, and danger
If he’ll return, he couldn’t say
He came to us to save his fam’ly
He thinks of them the livelong day
He longs for home and peace and safety
Will he find peace? He couldn’t say

He’s seeking more than food and water
He needs somewhere his head to lay
He’s come with dreams of peace, not slaughter
A quiet place in which to pray
What sort of world will he discover?
His dream of peace will we betray?
Can we all help him to recover?
His trust in us can we repay?

I know dark clouds will gather round him
But gentle thoughts are here as well
Our welcome arms, they just might calm him
Our gen’rous hearts, his fears dispel
Our kinder side will he uncover?
For what’s been done can we atone?
Though much is gone, he might discover
He’s lost his land but found a home