as for me . . . (joshua 24)

it was not
so long ago
i served other gods:
years ago, it was named 'fear';
last month, i kneeled at greed's altar;
this past week, pride seduced me;
yester (& almost every) day
i followed anger down
that potholed road.

even when
i put them away
in a box marked
'former life,'
they try to
slip their fingers
under the edges
to push the lid off -
or swaddle themselves
in red and green ribbon,
so i will find them
under the tree;

so
for this day and
(please, Lord!)
all the days to follow,
i will choose
to cross faith's River,
leaving them
on the shoreline
behind me.
(c) 2008 Thom M. Shuman