We like to
point the index finger
hold the placard high
Then turn away
from those in great
distress and despair
We like to build great
ghettos of “faith”
away from the mess
Then look back
and say “There’s the bad man,
there’s the whore”
We blame
Hollywood
and Vegas
We scream at
The World
throw stones at culture
Then cut and paste from it
another failed attempt
at relevance
We throw out our history
and instead move backward
with Public Relations
We are proud
and arrogant
and often cruel
It is we
who must repent
it is I
Not just for
the unjust war we wage
against our neighbor
But for the good works
we use to inflate our
spiritual resume
The menstrual rags
of human effort
are obscene
Yet we wear them
and wave them proudly
in the afternoon sun
Jesus
have mercy on me
a poor sinner
And
on
all
my
friends
wherever
they
may
be
11 responses ↓
1 Rong | 26 Mar 2007
“menstrual rags”
Could you get any more graphic than this?
I can’t even think of anything witty to reply with other than a humble and contrite, “You’re right”.
Preach on brother.
2 sizzle | 26 Mar 2007
i like the bit about about “Public Relations.”
Does every city have those bumper stickers? Santa Cruz had them as well- and shirts and mugs.
3 Mark Goodyear | 26 Mar 2007
I like this:
ghettos of “faith”
away from the mess
It’s amazing how easy it is for people to defend the churches they’ve (we’ve) built, rather than the message those churches are supposed to defend.
4 Jessica Doyle | 26 Mar 2007
Nice one. God help us all.
5 communicatrix | 27 Mar 2007
Yeah. You need a serious dose of Los Angeles, friend. As if you didn’t know…
6 Robert Bruce | 28 Mar 2007
Rong - Sometimes there are certain words or phrases that cannot be bettered. It was one of those…
7 Robert Bruce | 28 Mar 2007
Sizzle - Shoot man, I thought some Portlander made that up…
8 Robert Bruce | 28 Mar 2007
Mark - True. I guess we all do it to some degree or at one time or another.
9 Robert Bruce | 28 Mar 2007
Jessica - Yes. Please.
10 Robert Bruce | 28 Mar 2007
communicatrix - You may be right… I know I need a Ruben from Canter’s right now. You ever on Fairfax? Grab me one please.
11 Alex | 24 Apr 2007
great poem robert . . . straight to the bone . . .
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