sorrows of the elderly
Scratch that
We are here to be entertained
Definitely
The young and the restless
A small screen narrative
Endless coupling
Held together by greasepaint
And subterfuge
Lipstick ruby red
A cacophony of compliments
And lies
The way of the world
A cliché come true.
I remember the simple elements
The beauty of the black brown soil
The laughter of dogs
New life come spring
It’s all of a piece
Complexity
Guaranteed
Whoever we are
Remember
We are still the human race.
Kyrie Eleison
Psalm Fourteen
1 The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God.They are corrupt, they have done abominable works;There is none that doeth good.2 God looked down from heaven upon the children of men,To see if there were any that did understand,That did seek after God.3 They are all gone aside; they are together become filthy;There is none that doeth good, no, not one.4 Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge,Who eat up my people as they eat bread,And call not upon God?5 There were they in great fear;For God is in the generation of the righteous.6 Ye put to shame the counsel of the poor,Because God is his refuge.7 Oh that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion!When God bringeth back the captivity of his people,Then shall Jacob rejoice, and Israel shall be glad.
The fool hath said in his heart
There is no God
Declares the Psalm, once a simple song
Apparently now absolute
According to Evangelicals
Is the Lord, what a word—
How about potentate?
How about wizir?
Really looking down
Follow the dotted line
To discover men, women, and children
That would be us
Pursuing God?
Is that what He does
Police?
Patrol?
Supervise?
We seek the salvation of Israel
The saying goes
Hoping prophets will return
To reestablish justice
Mercy
And universal love
Did someone say God?
Baby
We can do this ourselves
Can’t we?
Oh
Psalm Fifteen
1 God, who shall sojourn in thy tabernacle?Who shall dwell in thy holy hill?2 He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness,And speaketh truth in his heart;3 He that slandereth not with his tongue,Nor doeth evil to his friend,Nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbor;4 In whose eyes a reprobate is despised,But who honoreth them that fear God;He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not;5 He that putteth not out his money to interest,Nor taketh reward against the innocent.He that doeth these things shall never be moved.
Let’s hear it
For the righteous
Who tip twenty-five percent
And praise their friends behind their backs
Who never descend into political hysteria
Polarizing, defaming, slandering presidents and vice presidents
All those who have placed their hands on the Bible
Promising to serve the common good
I can think of five
No four
Four just men
Or two?
The Righteous Brothers?
Is that enough?
As for myself
I work on correcting my course
Inevitably off-track
And wandering
One day I will forgive you
For making me mortal
Translated
Deaf
Dumb
And blind
Let’s hear it for the righteous
I’m not there yet
Are you?
Psalm Sixteen
1 Preserve me, O God; for in thee do I take refuge.2 O my soul, thou hast said unto God, Thou art my Lord:I have no good beyond thee.3 As for the saints that are in the earth,They are the excellent in whom is all my delight.4 Their sorrows shall be multiplied that give gifts for another god:Their drink-offerings of blood will I not offer,Nor take their names upon my lips.5 God is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup:Thou maintainest my lot.6 The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places;Yea, I have a goodly heritage.7 I will bless God, who hath given me counsel;Yea, my heart instructeth me in the night seasons.8 I have set God
