Jesus on the Prairie

"Evil...is ignorance and misuse of good" --James Allen

Hanging out with Jesus in the Midwest
Burial shrouds and cowboy hats
And Star-Spangled Sermons.
He's not sure He likes it here
Even half as much as you...

Jesus on the Prairie--
When in Rome, do like the Caesars
Jesus on the Plains--
Is loosening his belt--
While his wallet loses weight.

He's not sure He likes it here
Half as much as you like having Him

Star-Spangled Sentiments seem overdone
Just a bit.
And cowboy hats and burial shrouds
Contain books--
To burn--
Along with all those bridges--
Over rivers on the plains on our maps
And in our minds
Mind you don't start a prairie fire;
Sagebrush burns hot and fast
About like rags and hair.

Such salacious sermons
Show Him Star-Spangled Sentiments
Delivering such caustic vitriol
Carried on words issued from too sharp a tongue
He's not sure He likes it here
Nearly as much as you like having Him here

I don't think He wants to hang with you
And "Party on the Prairie."

Observing Jesus
Hanging out in the Midwest
He looks a bit uncomfortable
In that star-spangled shirt
The Gideons are okay in His Book
But their Bible is the size
--of a pack of Marlboros
And He keeps forgetting which is in His front shirt pocket
Just underneath that white star
--just over His heart.

Hanging out with The Messiah
In the Midwest...
Not gonna lie...
He looks a tad uncomfortable
In that expensive Stetson
Makes His brow itch
Reminds Him of the last headwear He wore

A slight clenching of His face
Betrays a weary anxiety
--Whenever you invect in His name
--Whenever He can tell that you want to
          --Talk politics

For such a famous guy, He's very polite
But the face betrays--
Looks like he'd like to leave

He'd rather not party on the prairie

(January 13, 2010)