The Ten Commandments

11/10/2020 –  Poem a Day Compilation



If I were God, I’d probably think

The ten commandments

And all the others that come with them

Were a pretty good start.



        You shall have no other gods before Me.



Of course, we’d all like to be number one,

Especially if we’re the supreme being

And creator of the entire universe,

So this is surely a given.



        You shall make no idols.



I’m not one hundred percent against the idea

But I’d want them to be really top notch,

And definitely no idols to other things

Like golden calves, what’s that about?



        You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.



Look, I get it, I really do –

But, and I mean this, with all sincerity

No one wants their name to be a swear word,

Even the Lord, your God.



        Keep the Sabbath day holy.



Being God, I’d be well within my rights

To think mere mortals should show respect

Just for one day of the week,

Given I created the world they get to enjoy.



        Honour your father and your mother.



Yeah, I know, not all of them are good people,

And those ones probably don’t deserve it,

But if they love you and take care of you,

It’s the least you can do in return.



        You shall not murder.



So, this is a biggie, even if I say so myself,

And I’d be pretty strict on this one.

So, if everyone could just chill out

That’d be grand, thanks very much.



        You shall not commit adultery.



And I’m not even talking about the sex –

If you betray your partner emotionally,

Well, that’s just as bad and, frankly,

It’ll probably land you in the hot place.



        You shall not steal.



These might seem like common sense,

And most of them are, so just use your brain.

You wouldn’t like it if someone took your stuff

So why would you do the same to someone else?



        You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.



I mean, it’s a fancy way of saying “don’t lie”

But really, its also about keeping community,

Not causing unnecessary trouble for society

And generally being on the side of truth.



        You shall not covet.



Jealousy is a curse, my friends.

It will drag you down and destroy you

From the inside of your being

And turn you into a wretch for all time.



Now, I’d never admit it publicly,

So this is just between we two,

But I’m not a perfect person

And I’d probably be a less than perfect God



But if I stuck to my own commandments

I’d do a pretty stand up job

At keeping the human race in line

By setting a fine example.



I’d definitely rethink the holy book,

Given people can’t agree on what’s written,

And I’d make sure it had all the info

They’d need to get on with their lives.



I’d be a bit more hands on, too;

No one likes a parent who doesn’t turn up.

I’d visit more often than the other guy

Who rocks up every millennium or ten.



I’d get rid of those pesky diseases

That cause so much pain and grief,

But I’d do a bit more smiting

Of those who acted like dicks.



Maybe one day I’ll meet the big guy

Though I highly doubt it, myself.

Even if he exists in heaven,

By his rules, I’m going to hell.