| James Weldon Johnson, ed. (1871–1938). The Book of American Negro Poetry. 1922. |
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| The Feet of Judas |
| | | George Marion McClellan |
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| CHRIST washed the feet of Judas! | |
| The dark and evil passions of his soul, | |
| His secret plot, and sordidness complete, | |
| His hate, his purposing, Christ knew the whole, | |
| And still in love he stooped and washed his feet. | 5 |
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| Christ washed the feet of Judas! | |
| Yet all his lurking sin was bare to him, | |
| His bargain with the priest, and more than this, | |
| In Olivet, beneath the moonlight dim, | |
| Aforehand knew and felt his treacherous kiss. | 10 |
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| Christ washed the feet of Judas! | |
| And so ineffable his love ’twas meet, | |
| That pity fill his great forgiving heart, | |
| And tenderly to wash the traitor’s feet, | |
| Who in his Lord had basely sold his part. | 15 |
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| Christ washed the feet of Judas! | |
| And thus a girded servant, self-abased, | |
| Taught that no wrong this side the gate of heaven | |
| Was ever too great to wholly be effaced, | |
| And though unasked, in spirit be forgiven. | 20 |
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| And so if we have ever felt the wrong | |
| Of Trampled rights, of caste, it matters not, | |
| What e’er the soul has felt or suffered long, | |
| Oh, heart! this one thing should not be forgot: | |
| Christ washed the feet of Judas. | 25 |
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