Adam

25/03/2021 – Poem a Day Compilation



There’s something very odd

About the story of Adam and Eve

And that is the blame that is laid

Upon the shoulders of the Eve

Yet Adam seems to be

This tag along character

Beguiled by the wiles of a woman

Created to be his companion

By an omnipotent deity

Who could not foresee

The fall of his own creations.



I suppose it’s not all that odd

When you really think about it

And the people who penned

The stories of creation

Because they were all men

Wanting to rule over the land

And its people

Regardless of the consequences

That would be felt for centuries

Into the future

And all over the world



Their male deity could do no wrong

Nor their male first created

Even the saviour who would come

So many years later

Was born male

And so many of the noteworthy characters

From Noah to Abraham to Moses

They are all of the masculine description

With women playing second fiddle

Or being portrayed as evil temptresses

Not to be trusted in the least.



So let’s revisit how we see Adam

And how we look upon Eve

With the choice to eat the apple

Squarely upon both their shoulders

Placed there to tempt them

By a deity who already knew the outcome

And created the human race

As a plaything for his amusement

Or perhaps it’s all a figment of the imagination

Of ancient and long forgotten men

To keep their women underfoot

The Priest

28/02/2021 – Poem a Day Compilation



The priest sat looking out the window,

Long since retired from preaching.

His bible sat on the table before him,

Unopened over these last few days



He knew it back to front,

Could quote any passage from it.

He’d studied all the stories

And could recite sermons from memory.



He wasn’t sure when he’d begun to doubt

But it wasn’t a sudden revelation,

Coming slowly over time

Like a stalagmite growing within him.



He’d lived his whole life as a Christian,

Taking the lessons very much to heart

And trying to live a good life

And an example to his congregation.



He didn’t overindulge in drink

And counselled those who did,

Organising places in support groups

Or finding accommodation for those in need.



He didn’t believe abortion was an option

Except in the most extreme of circumstance

But forgave those who saw no other way

And offered them a place in his church.



But over the years he’d noticed

The increase in those of not faith,

Not just a migration

From one religion to another.



He saw that they were good people,

Not the monsters he’d been led to believe,

And wondered how a just deity

Could send those people to hell.



He heard them question his brand of belief

With logic and reason and grace

But what they lacked was an ability

To believe, to rely on just faith.



The idea that someone might be comfortable

Not knowing the answer to it all

Stumped him on many occasions

And he realised that he didn’t know.



There was no solid evidence

That would pass muster in an historical text

But he had faith there was something out there

Even if he had no proof.



The doubts that had crept in to his mind

Were of a more specific kind –

Was the god he felt in his heart

The same god he could quote chapter and verse?



He’d heard of a woman admonishing her husband

When he was lying on his death bed

For not praying hard enough

For the cancer to be taken away.



He’d read about all the clergy

Within his religion and others

Who committed terrible, vile acts

And never saw a day in prison.



Somehow the idea they’d be punished

In the next life by a vengeful god

Wasn’t as great a justice

As he believed the victims deserved.



How could he have dedicated his life

To an organisation so corrupt

That they would not just turn a blind eye

But actively cover up those evil deeds?



He could not shake the belief

That there was something more than this world

But what it was, and who was there to meet him,

Were shrouded in mystery.



He would go to meet his maker

Whatever he might find

And if that maker was simply make-believe

Then that’s where his story would end.

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.