Jack Pelham

He’s fascinated with a certain Bible topic
And fancies himself on an exciting odyssey,
With which God is helping him in a time of both
Grand discovery and self-realization—
Using him, even, to reveal important truths
To an ignorant world.

There comes a point
When you just have to
Take all the folks who get it
And leave the other ones behind.

You’ll not change the world
Without changing the people,
Yet so many who seek the former
Have no plan whatsoever for the latter.

Whatever glory they see in changing the world,
They do not find in changing an individual.
And I ask you: what world needs people
Like that being in charge of anything?

She has quit trying.
She makes no effort
To better herself
Or to relieve her own woes.

She has shunned
Responsibility for herself,
As she has also shunned those
Who hold her to account.
She kicks at the goads.

I have seen kids afraid.
Afraid of me.
Afraid of one another.
Afraid to think.
Afraid to wonder.
Afraid to be uncomfortable.
Afraid to invest themselves.
Afraid to take a chance.
Afraid to get it wrong.
Afraid to get it right.
Afraid to miss out.
Afraid to join in.
Afraid to love.
Afraid to be loved.

This world is tired
Of the lessons unlearned—
Still before us and signaling our shame
After all these centuries
Of stubborn neglect.

Where did we ever get the idea that
Our angry complaints about corruption
Are a better use of our time
Than would be actual reform?

Being so poor at reflection as
Our culture teaches us to be.
Surely, we overlook many things
About that wonderful life in the Garden—

And this one glorious difference
Between our life and theirs
Occurs to me just now.

They had no market,
No ads.
No salesmen.

Except that one, of course—
Who unleashed transgression
On this world,
And taught man greed and pride
And all manner of vile things
The remain to this day.

And I think it’s no wonder
That God should be so excited
About the stars—
That he would pluck them out
Of this darkness and take them
To his house when they are done here.

She was so utterly and absolutely willing
To take his word for it.
And, as far as we have been told,
It never once crossed her mind
That she might verify what he said
Before choosing to believe it.

He rushes to generalize,
Thinking he has not the time
To determine the exact
Truth of the matter.
And he does not see
That this has become for him
A way of life.