Interloper

Image borrowed from Bing

Interloper

It certainly was
the night before Christmas,
and after I duded-up, putting
on my black slacks, black sweater
vest, red dress shirt, and fancy
red and black tie I found
myself trundling after my wife,
children, and grandchildren
to the Presbyterian Church
near our home so that I could
pack into a steaming sanctuary
sitting shoulder to hip with neighbors
and strangers, so that I could be
scolded for not tithing enough,
for not being hypocritical enough,
for not being self-deluded enough,
for not sacrificing enough,
for not buying the bunk,
for refusing to join the club, the order,
the congregation, the Jesus gang;
for being non-repentant,
for still smiling at the foot of the great
timbered cross behind the pulpit,
for still being spiritual without
walking in their sandals, without
being an infidel or a non-believer,
sitting unfettered, innocent,
and without fear.

Glenn Buttkus

December 2010

Listed as #101 over on Magpie Tales 45

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