“Come closer,” they say
As they swing their axe
And raise their guillotine
“Come hither,” they glare
And hope to ensnare
The children, adults & teens
“Come over,” they shout
And grumble and pout
“The faithful are no more”
No time for church
Or pews or merch
“How will we pay for the new floor?”
“Come now,” they scream
Or you’ll hate the guillotine
When it leaves you headless and dead
“Come never— again!
We didn’t even want you then
How could you sinners be proud?”
“Goodbye” we say
And quietly leave
Sometimes shoved or nudged
(not so nicely)
Out the door
No reply they give
For aren’t they proud
To shove a sinner
Off the moor
Off we go to seas
And lands unknown
And their (self) righteousness
Grows everyday
As it plumps on pews
And pastor news
and devoutly prays
“Halleljuah” they sing
With unmasked faces
We’ll show our love for God
We’ll treat our neighbor
As we treat ourselves
Wicked sinners in need of a flog!
Tough love for you
Tough love for me
For it’s crucify upon a tree
The death, the wrath
The sin, the pity
For your chosen path
Shame on my face
and in a mirror
Shame the only thing I see.
I place on you.
What is on me.
And frown at you
But smile ~I do.
For shame on you not me.
Yet the ones set free
From this shame making game
Have already gone along on their way
They find again to live with ‘sin’ &
Risk the guillotine
Yet they live another day
Free & wild
They laugh & cry
And struggle just like the next
But pity the fool
Who stays and dies …
because they chopped themselves
To death.
2.18.26