poetic reflections on this week’s news

Try to remember
that day in September
when life was changed
for us forever.

Try to recover
a grief that’s been covered
by years now past
and prayers unanswered.

Try to replenish
what’s slowly diminished.
A faith in God
and love of country…
and honor.

Disgraced in the John
How a Minneapolis bathroom flushed a reputation

Larry Craig and John
What really did go on?
Who are those three?
Or is it one
whose DC time is gone?

His reputation’s flushed.
A secret he had hushed
has now come out.
There’s little doubt
his faithful wife is crushed.

While seated on the throne
his feet began to roam
and footsie with
a plainclothes cop
let Larry’s fetish known.

Remembering a Religious Icon

The Moral Majority all agree.
Jerry Falwell did well
but died too soon.
His fruitful life will continue to speak
though his silenced lips cannot.

From Thomas Road to Liberty,
this Baptist preacher helped us see
how true devotion to a cause
can reap big dividends.

He grew a church and college too
and then before Jim Bakker knew,
this Lynchburg televangelist
would rescue PTL.

His right-wing stance left some irate.
Sometimes his judgments (like his weight)
seemed way too heavy and unsafe.
He could be arrogant.

But far more good than ill was done
to help Christ’s Kingdom fully come.
He had his faults, but don’t we all.
In stumbling, he fell well.

The right has lost an advocate
who could be quite articulate.
But our entire country grieves.
A patriot has died.

Why Dr. King’s prescription for racial inequality needs to be acted on

I think we’ve really come quite far
since Doctor MLK, JR
prescribed a medication
for our nation’s skin disease.

What Martin clearly diagnosed
reflects how quickly bias grows
when prejudice is overlooked
or countenanced as right.

The good Doc’s remedy was clear.
We start by looking in the mirror
and taking stock of how we tend
to justify our hate.

And then he said to exercise
(not with our legs but with our eyes)
by being blind to color
as we look at those God made.

But then the doctor left us quick.
He died when we were still quite sick.
And yet in the past forty years
we’re on the road to health.

Our skin disease is clearing up.
We’re drinking from a common cup.
And as we swallow pride,
we taste our true equality.

The slaughter of the innocents revisited

So long, Saddam. Your rope was short.
And all because a Baghdad court
determined you deserved to die
for heinous crimes you did.

Like old King Herod long ago
who slaughtered babies row by row,
your ego was most satisfied
when you were murdering.

And though confronted by wise men
you quickly put an end to them.
When threatened in your leadership,
your blood ran cold as ice.

But, nonetheless, one babe I see.
A fragile life. Democracy.
You could not kill what longs to live.
It was the death of you.

May God have mercy on your soul
for in the end your life long goal
left countless mothers childless.
Both in your land and ours.

A set of numbers that still doesn’t add up five years later

Five years ago two towers fell.
Four planes (like bullets) unleashed Hell.
One nation (fractured) under God
fell to its knees in prayer.

Ground Zero found us hand in hand
without the means to understand
how terrorists could rob us blind
and steal our innocence.

They looted unsuspecting lives
who tried in vain to just survive.
Those heartless, evil, godless thieves
killed thousands in one day.

But since that time they’ve stolen more.
Like brave young soldiers felled by war.
And peace of mind we had in spades
just sixty months ago.

And yet that peace can be regained,
if we refuse to focus blame
on anyone except those thugs
who hate the land we love.

United States, oh let us be
united, bound to all agree
that we are strongest when we fight
a common enemy.