How Sacred is Sacred?

We are devout victims

of a Church which misinterprets,

expounds God's word to mean

there is no love, no respect

for those less powerful, like cute

choir boys or orphans in their care

We are devout victims of a Church

which misinterprets, expounds God's word

to mean there is no love, no respect

for those among us, one in three

deemed deviants. We are devout victims

of a Church which misinterprets, expounds

God's word to mean the bishop cannot be gay.

Nuns and professors don't do that, never did,

and homosexuals do not pray, nor ever

should they marry. But I have sung His glory

in cathedral choirs, taught catechism

at the Sunday School, learned not to kill

or steal or hate. In middle-age I still rejoice

each day I give my daily bread to beasts and man.

Let no one hunger, starve from want of

human love, compassion.

Everywhere every life is sacred:

The girl, the boy, the woman, the man

The flashing lights of fireflies

The trees in bud, the hanging fruits

The baby in her crib, gurgling, calling for her mother's breast

Bird songs, exotic insects, sexual scents

The Lord was My Shepherd

I've studied science, thrown away

intelligent design, threats of religious zealots

And I shall not want.Awoman

~~~

©barbaraataylor2003

first published New Verse News April 18 2008