New Rule: Church Uniforms

Should there be a church uniform? I mean..think about it. For many the Sunday stress is, "What am I gonna wear to church?" There seems to be an intense focus on fashion; a red carpet affair. Where is the humility? I'm just saying.

If your hat or shoes or blazer, bought solely for "church" cost a pretty penny when many others in the congregation and community are collecting pennies, then something is wrong. I'm just saying.

Maybe someone will help me understand. The concept of submitting and humbling one's self before God "is said to be a fit recipient of Grace;" according to the words of St. James, "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble" (Proverbs 3:34, 1 Peter 5:5, James 4:6 NIV). So does this mean those who parade proudly around church clad in fancy colorful clothing like peacocks and male guppies in heat are in direct opposition of God? While others look with false smiles of course either in jealousy or self pity with worn soles and folded disconnect notice in tattered pocketbook or nut hugging slacks wondering why has God forsaken them. I'm just saying. Where is the love?

A wise pastor can learn something. Like with schools, uniforms will be more befitting. Perhaps. Or maybe something as simple as having members wrap themselves in white or cream linen upon entering the sanctuary to ensure the congregation is on one accord. No distractions like Aretha's hat. But what do I know.

daddy's dear

i.
a child sits and reads to her father
the words are nothing more than dark spots on white paper
what does he see that she doesn’t?
“somebody’s been sleeping in my bed”

ii.
he finds himself starring into the mirror late one night
he fingers the deep lines of his handsome face
tracing his lips and nose

they are the deep dark proud prominent traits of his
ancestors of past generations
dominant and ever present but

they seem to be absent on the face of the child
hers are lighter and frailfully soft
obviously from a different past

raindrops appear in the corners of his storming eyes
his torment face becomes torrid
regal turns to rage

iii.
wife asleep
beat beat
wake bitch
what’s wrong
whose is she
she who
her
her who
whose is she
she’s ours
not ours yours
be for real
i am

Love's Anxiety - for Sonya

a singer sung a song
and her words were true
you can’t make someone love you
if they don’t want to 

you can give your body
your soul heart and mind
you can give up friends
even your last dime 

you can change your looks
go down a size
give up alcohol, pot,
hamburgers and fries
 
compromise who you are and
give up being you in hopes of
proving your depth of love is true 

you can go from intelligent to being
stupid missing days from work and school
never realizing that this type of love
is only causing you to appear a fool

ii.
the anxiety that you feel
the pain that you go through
when loving someone so much
and they not wanting you to 

not willing to call you and let
you know that they're okay
not willing to hug you and
kiss you just to make your day 

not willing to give the time that
all young lovers need
not willing to show the love you want-
often ignoring your begs, desires, and pleads


iii.
if i could claim this world
and work it as my own
nothing you would ever long for
nothing you would ever want 

time has a way of 
bringing on change
but the more things change the more
others remain the same
 
my heart has altered itself
but you are unmoved
you ignore me leaving me feeling
a fool

a fool in love a singer once sang
a fool i am and
a fool i have been
a fool for you
a fool you have made me into
i’ve learned from the best
i learned from a fool
and that fool was you
tell me why
tell me why

“you made a fool of me tell me why
you say that you don’t care but we made love tell me why”

trouble

when will trouble tire itself out
it seems every time i turn around
trouble is somewhere tarrying about
trouble when will you take a rest a
needed time out?
i'm certain you won't be missed
at least not by me

trouble

sit your ass down and
let these people be.
trouble

100411

i was not surprised
typical
i mean i heard it
with my own ears
whether he meant it or not
he said it
he said it
i heard it

sometimes the sky has a way of turning
gray in an instant
birds no longer chirp and the
ocean seems to have misplaced its’ shore
no crashing waves

like a nature walk becoming a
fight for survival
man against wild
all the while
you hold onto your secret
stash of water
leaving others to dehydrate
selfish i know
but it comes as no surprise
i am not surprised

all to common like roaches on
dark kitchen counters
i count them before killing them
mercilessly
but it’s not their fault
then again it’s my kitchen
do i have the right?

why should i continue to show you mercy
when you hold the stash
rationing it to me at your pleasure
like hansel and gretel in the dark forest
only you know the way

the sky has turned gray and
to my surprise
so has my heart