survival of the faithest

when the facility committee

met to close down the magnificent

(but declining in membership)

St. Firstthird Church at the

corner of Wistful and Bygone,

with its beautiful stained glass

and tallest steeple in the city!

your minority report stated,

'the days will come

when the people you're

turning your backs on,

will delight their neighbors

with the homeless shelter they open.'

when the judicatory met

to discuss (for the umpteenth time)

the burning issue from a generation ago,

the same folks

parroting the same words,

you whispered to your pewmate,

'the day will come

when the opposing sides

will adjourn to the pub

and buy rounds for each other

until Last Call;

but the folks who keep trying

to blow this dying ember

back to life -

will pick up the tab.'

keeps passing ordinance after ordinance

making it harder and harder

to feed the hungry,

to shelter the street people,

to give medical care to the poorest,

to offer life to the hopeless,

you will go to the microphone,

simply reminding the powerful,

'the days will come

when joy is the song

on every child's lips;

when grace becomes the clean air

everyone breathes in; 

when tenacity opens the doors

to the kingdom.'

(c) 2010 Thom M. Shuman

 

when the city council