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Grant Dickson Mar 2018
The cold air seeped down with no heart,
What was once a sea of beauty and life,
Now had been turned to a grave of white and death,
The city had almost all but stopped living too.

Morning turned to night and yet all was still bright,
Panicking for necessities like bread and milk,
As if they were a commodity like gold and silk,
There was no lease from this grip of icy might.

The Robins so proud with their coats of glorious red,
Out playing like children on a canal iced bed,
Scattering wild seed around upon the snow covered ground,
Bobbing along like cheeky cherubim gathering with a chirpy sound.

A man stands in the not so far distance,
Stood outside clearing snow as it's finally stopped,
I ask and offer myself to give some assistance,
Is seems the final flakes have now dropped.

A path slowly appears as do others now congregate,
Friends, brothers, sister's all one with a common goal,
Time rolls on but we persist as it gets late,
A United effort from one and all like a heart to a soul.

(C) Grant Dickson 21/03/2018
I wrote this after I was witness to a community spirit I never thought I'd ever see
Anji Mar 2018
Kool-aid, fried chicken, potatoes and gravy.
We’re all gonna die from the sugar inside those diabetic cookies
And rows of donuts, danishes, plastic plates, sweet tea & lemonade beverages,
So much of it that it makes me sick to see the trash bins
Full of half-eaten food, dropped by lazy hands,
Now everyone lifts their hands during worship and
I feel foolish, I don’t understand, because their smiles are fake and
I know the way they will talk about me when I go walking away,
Will hear them whispering later about each other, and oh my God,
There’s something so sinister here…
I know it because I don’t hear about demons, or evil, or hell, or pain, or fear
Anywhere else but inside of these walls with no windows, where
I am told I will burn for my questions, and she goes up to the altar again, and so does he
They do this, the same ones, every single week
Because deep down, they don’t believe anything they’re hearing -
Their soul keeps vomiting up these spoon-fed ideologies - so there must be
Something wrong, some sin in their *******, that beats them senseless and
Makes them ignorant, childish victims that need to be rescued
Over. And over. And over again.

The music is repetitive, reminding us we are helpless. Broken. Our own minds are not to be
Trusted. Here comes a fat white man, who opens his mouth and reads a line
From the equally fat little white book in his hand. Here comes that same twisted sort of rhetoric -
Sin, shame, death, isolation, separation, judgment, sin, sin, sin.
Who is this Jesus, who is always different in every sermon?
Sh. Just listen. You are loved - unconditionally.
So you better worship. Or be tortured for an eternity.
Now, no more questions -
The man is sweating under stage lights, asking, “do you know where you’re going? Well, do you?”
Repeat after me, sheep, and you will be free! Grazing forever in paradise
Where those infinite, rolling pastures are always green.

But for all that they’re selling, there’s a **** ton of food outside in that dumpster smelling
And pesticides in the river, and a homeless man shivering, his socks soaking,
And my youth pastor friend is ******* after church, he’s addicted to *******, ashamed
Of his totally natural and ****** needs, and my sister is crying, she
Tried to rush into a marriage to please the church family, who promised the joys of monogamy,
And my mother is trying to undo her years of religion-induced trauma in therapy,
And I am sitting alone in the bathroom after the service, crying
Because no matter how badly they want to save my soul,
Not a single **** one of these people ever actually cared about me.
I just have a lot of feelings.
jlf Mar 2018
i dreamed about falling

off a chair in the church where

i heard you sing for

the first time and

it was the first time

i made you laugh

after a million years

i woke up

with a plum tree in my chest

with the touch of a finger you plucked a purple

planet off a branch

a world where we end up together

and bit out the part where we met

along with some other things

it hurt so much

i could have sworn

i heard you singing
i can't believe it's been 4 years since i last heard your voice
Emily Miller Feb 2018
My father walked me down the aisle,
But my mother held my arm.
He went with me,
But we went not towards the altar,
But towards the door.

My father walked me down the aisle,
And the ***** rang through the church,
Humming through the elaborate crown molding,
Carved by my ancestors.

He went,
Not beside me,
But before me,
And I watched,
As he was illuminated by the bright,
Overbearing,
Texas sun.

My father walked me down the aisle,
But I did not wear white.
My father walked me in silence,
And I shed tears not for a man standing at the altar,
But for the one I would never see again.

My father walked me down the aisle,
And no veil obscured my face.
All eyes were upon me, but not for my pristine beauty,
Instead for my clenched jaw and furrowed brow,
Severe and fierce to distract from my glassy eyes.

My father did not leave me at the end of our walk to sit beside my mother.
She clung to me for support and sobbed breathlessly,
Loudly,
Unavoidably,
And I carried her with one hand,
My sister the other,
And walked towards my future.
A future family,
Not one person more,
But one person less.
I walked,
One final time,
With him.

My father walked me down the aisle,
And I will never forget it.
Hundreds of eyes isolating my family from the crowd,
Slow and muffled sounds drowning in the deafening beat of my heart,
Blurred faces staring,
Black heels clacking against the cobbled path from the church,
The anguished wails of my mother,
The whimpering of my sister,
And the wooden box that glided before us,
Pulling,
A string tied to our patriarch,
The pin key of our family,
Pulled taut and then snipped with the slam of the hearse doors.

My father walked me down the aisle,
Before I had a chance to grow up.
He walked me,
Out of the church,
Away from the altar,
Never to be walked again.
Nate Helwig Feb 2018
Double hinged doors can only swing so wide.
Jester all of us, beckon us to place a token of our time.
Light the halls, embroidered walls make them stand tall.
For without our greed, it would crumble with ease.
All of us bring our broken will.
No place for that heavenly grace.
Disgrace to our race.
White wand in hand.
They unleash the “lord’s commands”
“Follow with a blind eye”, oh what a surprise.
Written word followed by the glorious herd makes them heard.
Abracadabra! Everyone claps. We are all cleansed of our deeds.
A messenger of the purist form laid down to die, for us.
His messages, “Stone is rigid, nothing is forgiven. “
“You lead! Place the crown upon your cranium.”
“Show me how much you can explain to him.”
His last words, “With arms open wide, I accept this punishment.”
Priest lying down his book, boils to ashes.
We knew this would last.
Our lord has gone.
Doors open wide.
Black.
Sally Thomas Feb 2018
In the sea of black
Amongst the wash of tears and the hands held tightly
The memories
Shared by a stranger in a pulpit
Prayers joined in for the occasion
A curious celebration of life
Your best bits
Like Match of the Day highlights.
Evading the times you cried
The times you didn't want anyone around.
Yet here they are - how would you feel?

Outside, the awkward embraces
Of long lost acquaintances
Awkwardly reacquainting
Amongst the tombstones, cursed forever to
Hear the condolences
See the sorrow of strangers
Feel the emptiness.

The hit of grief on the journey home.
Hot tears coursing their path onto the steering wheel.
The relentless regret
Of unspoken truths, lies, compliments and apologies.
But the unfailing, niggling persistence rather to have loved and lost.
And been a few crossed off calendar days.
A passing thought when hearing a song.
A flickering vision through whiskey-blurred eyes.
A small piece of the jigsaw.
I wrote this poem after attending the funeral of my childhood sweetheart. I hate funerals (not sure anyone really likes them).   I hate the surge of grief that hits you and how no-one knows the right thing to say.  This funeral was particularly hard. I'm getting to that age where friends are passing away and it makes me ever grateful for each day and all its prospects and blessings.
ghost Feb 2018
gnashing teeth and broken wings
spilt blood reflecting heavens glow
a chilled sweat in the summer sun
golden ichor mixed with pitch tar
gleaming light and scarred horns
iridescence floating on acrid gasoline


you were the closest thing to holy i'd seen outside of church paintings
i was almost afraid to touch you with my dirtied hands
how was it that while i soiled you, you greeted me like a friend
I don't believe in angels or demons, but if we're not the closest thing i've ever seen

By: Gretchen
Jeff S Feb 2018
i'd have you know i went to church today.
spread good cheer like a bull in the stock market.

—not the sort of church jesus would overturn, though.

no—there was too much peace; not enough wells; everyone
spouting his name with a big, blessed J.

for christ's sake, that hand-shaking ******* is not his bag.
and don't even get me started on wine

in a box.
Dear God, I need a moment
I know it's been a while
You know I do not go to church
That just is not my style

I do not pray like others do
I believe in what is right
So, God I ask you hear me
On this dark and lonely night

I do not ask redemption
I'm too far gone you know
I'm not one who is worth saving
Deep down you know it's so

The people who are righteous
Who are here to spread your word
Are wolves wrapped in sheep's clothing
Working hard to fleece the herd

I'm not one who will follow
I don't buy the tales they sell
When I am dead and buried
I'm not in heaven but in hell

I'm cutting out the middle man
For they don't own my trust
They're ******* their believers
They use your name with every ******

I hope that you can hear me
Though I've used your name in vain
They confess and pay their penance
Then they do it all again

If the only way to heaven
Is to buy a ticket in
Then I guess I'm well committed
So, I'll live my life in sin

The sinners should be punished
I know you and I agree
But, who made them judge and jury
Who chooses what they see?

Dear God when all is finished
My soul is mine alone to lose
But, where I spend my future
Is up to you to choose

So, God, I'm here just talking
Not confessing to my sin
I'm not here to say I'm leaving
I guess, I'm only checking in.
Heike Borgard Jan 2018
every Fryday night on his way home he stopped by the church near the bus station
to say a prayer.
his short escape to find comfort in this fast moving time.

and as he sat there, as usual, hands folded,
wondering again if there will ever be an answer to his silent prayers
this time, to his suprise, there was a rapid response:

***** music started playing and a celestial voice said:

"Dear prayer – thank you for calling but
currently all our heavenly connections are busy –
you are now in a queu - please hold your belief!“

***** music playing.....

"Your prayer is important to us -
We are sorry to keep you waiting but all hosts of heaven are still assisting other prayers-
The next spiritual entity available will connect with you soon.-“
Please stay in devotion!!

***** music playing....

"You have exceeded the waiting limit for this queue. Please unfold your hands and try again later!"


As he stepped outside he had left the church in every possible respect.
He never prayed again.

                                                         ­                     (© Heike Borgard 2018)
tried another style without rhyme, a bit like a short story
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