On Sunday the preacher ,
to the consternation of
his congregants,
decided to found a whole new faith,
The Brethren of the Here and Now.
There aint no second act,
he sanctimoniously declared,
so sit back and enjoy the first.
Ain’t no commandments neither
Cept showing unto others
a helluva good time.
The bread and wine you see before you
is really only bread and wine
and Jesus a poor carpenter
who couldn’t get the beams straight.
As they carried him off,
kicking and cursing,
he waved his crucifix
like a sorcerer’s wand
and blessed them in the name of
Casper, the friendliest of ghosts
and the Holy Trinity of
Karl and Groucho and Harpo.
Go forth and procreate, he yelled,
as often as you damn well please.
They closed the doors behind him.
The ambulance was waiting.

(originally published by Parables Press)